


Youth (Jung Hoseok x Reader)

by JustMattie



Category: J-Hope x Reader - Fandom, Jung Hoseok - Fandom, K-pop, hoseok - Fandom, hoseok x reader - Fandom, j-hope - Fandom, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Conflict, Hawaii, Love, Other, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2018-12-08 17:04:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 38,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11650950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustMattie/pseuds/JustMattie
Summary: "we're learning to love, but it's hard when you're young."|||||in which jung hoseok and you meet while on vacation in hawaii. your relationship is able to bloom and grow in complete privacy. but, summer always ends eventually, and you both have to return to your normal lives. a story in which you two learn to balance life, distance, struggles, and love.





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Youth (Jung Hoseok x Reader) [Traducción]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511029) by [mexicansnakeu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mexicansnakeu/pseuds/mexicansnakeu)



"Things won't always be this easy, will they?" you asked him as the sun set, the waves lapping up gently around the both of your feet. 

"They won't," he confirmed what you were already thinking. Sighing, you hugged your knees and looked out upon the water.

"The ocean is so...big. I never realized," you mumbled.

He couldn't help but chuckle, "You're so random."

"That vast amount of ongoing water that just keeps...stretching forever...That's the space that's about to be between us. Don't you realize?"

He looked down, his demeanor quickly changing from cheerful to sad. 

"I know..."

"I thought things are supposed to be easy when you're young. That's what adults have told me for my entire life," you complained, scooping up a handful of sand and tossing it into the water. 

Hoseok looked over at you, a sad smile on his face, "They lied."


	2. the unknown

Dear Journal, 

I'm currently on my flight to Kauai, Hawaii, with around twenty-five minutes left to go. The man beside me has been snoring for the entirety of this 7 hour and 50 minute flight. Even though I haven't been able to catch a wink of sleep because of it, part of me is glad that I had such an extensive amount of interrupted time to just think. To think about the plans I have for this summer; the things I have to accomplish during my time here, but also the things that I plainly want to do. It has allowed me time to think about all of the unknown possibilities. It has given me time to be scared of those, but also excited. 

Three months here sounds like a long time, but I have a heavy feeling that it's going to fly by much quicker than I would like for it to. Before I know it, I'll be on a return flight back, heart surely heavy and overwhelmed with the experiences I expect to have while here. 

The promise I'm making to myself is to be as open-minded as possible. To not let fears, or reservations, or any kind of anxiety inhibit me or limit me. Yes, I'm studying here to fufill a school requirement, but there's so much more to this trip than school. I want to find myself. I want to become my own person without the weight of all of my friends and family watching, waiting to see what I'll do next. I want to discover things about myself I never knew before, all in the privacy of finally doing something completely alone. I want to meet people. I want to make friends. I want to expand my world view. 

I want to leave this place crying, simply because I know that I'll miss the people and the rhythm of life here that much. Maybe I'm setting the bar too high. Perhaps it's a tall order to fill.

But, regardless, I'm determined. I'm young, and that youth is dwindling. The time to take advantage of these opportunities I've been given is now. 

The flight crew is preparing for landing. 

I'll see you on the ground.


	3. *important information + reading playlist

Please read this first part in its entirety:

1\. This book takes place in Kauai, Hawaii. I have visited Kauai 7 times in my life, and most descriptions and places given throughout this story are inspired by my own memory of things that are there. If anyone reading happens to be from Hawaii, I apologize in advance if I misrepresent something from the island. If you don't know anything about Kauai, it is known as the Garden Island. It's beautiful and lush, and full of life. From my own opinion (seeing as I have visited every Hawaiian island) I would argue that Kauai is the least touristy and the most laid back of all the islands. The majority of this takes place in the towns Poipu and Koloa.

2\. Bangtan does not exist in this story. Basically, this is somewhat of an AU. The issue of Hoseok being Korean / you being whatever nationality you are (there are people from many countires that read my wattpad, thanks so much for everyone's support :D) will not be addressed. Language barriers (if they would exist between you and him) will not be addressed. This book is written in 2nd person, meaning it will say "You" and the characters will address you as "Y/N", so just insert your name there.

3\. Like all good stories, this will include some drama and angst. But, if you're coming here from my Min Yoongi x Reader, know that it won't be like that one. This fan fiction is a bit sunnier than the others in more ways than one, no pun intended. 

4\. Please feel free to vote and comment as you read the story. I really appreciate things like that because it lets me know that the readers are enjoying it. No pressure, however, because I'm a reader on Wattpad myself, and I know it's easy to forget to do that stuff sometimes xD

5\. There is no update schedule for this book. I write chapters as I feel inspired to, but don't worry! I'm usually rather consisent. My Min Yoongi x Reader is 27 chapters, 60,000 words and I wrote it in about two months. xD Hopefully the turn around on this one will be just as timely. 

6\. Below will be a reading playlist. These are the songs I listen to while writing, and one will be embedded in every chapter as I see that it fits. Feel free to make a playlist and listen along, listen to the embedded song on each chapter, or don't use it all. It's completely up to you!

 

Reading Playlist 

adventure of a lifetime- coldplay

technicolor beat- oh wonder

idea of you- arty, eric nam

something just like this- coldplay, the chainsmokers

crush!- tahiti 80

island in the sun- weezer

youth- glass animals

outro: wings- bts

falling into you- hillsong young & free

shake, shake, shake- bronze radio return

fire water- code kunst

ma city- bts

steve mcqueen- m83

tomorrow's ours- lights follow

golden love- midnight youth

walk on memories- exo

living good- k.a.r.d

heartbeat- tahiti 80

mama- bts

don't wanna cry- seventeen 

slow down- lights follow

verge- owl city, aloe blacc

geronimo- the beach

let me in- grouplove

pools- glass animals

anna sun- walk the moon

butterfly- bts

san francisco- the mowgli's


	4. the incident

The airport was not air conditioned. That was the first thing you noticed as you left the terminal and headed for baggage claim. The second thing you noticed was that all the pictures you had seen of Hawaii didn't do the island's beauty justice. And upon making it outside in search of the taxi that was supposed to pick you up, your eyes almost couldn't comprehend the vibrancy of the life that was around you. The grass was incredibly green, the palm trees lush and large, and even the sidewalks were littered with pink and white plumeria flowers.

"The drive from Lihue to Poipu is about 45 minutes, okay?" The driver said with a smile and a slight accent as he loaded your luggage into the trunk of the car.

"Sounds good," you nodded, sliding into the backseat. You had 45 minutes of peace and island observation ahead, and you were greatly looking forward to it.

The beach house in which you were staying for the summer resided in Poipu, Kauai. It was a small town, one that was only 2.8 square miles wide, with a basic population of a 1,000 people; a close-knit community. A major in Intercultural Peace Building with a minor in Hawaiian Studies had left you lucky enough to spend an entire summer here, your purpose being to integrate with the locals and provide research as well as essays to your home college.

You were excited, yet slightly skeptical as you stepped out of the taxi cab on that sunny afternoon, the warm and humid air quickly filling up your lungs. You thanked the driver, paid the fare, and clenched the handles on the two suitcases you were now dragging behind you, up the short walk to the house.

The house appeared to be a decent size for 4 people; you'd be sharing it for the summer with three other students from various other universities. It was painted blue that had faded from the constant intensity of the sunlight, and was settled in between two other houses of similar style. Directly down the street was the ocean, and the first section of Poipu beach, which was seemingly popular for body boarding and surfing. You'd caught a glimpse of some people catching waves when you had passed by in the car, immediately making you curious and inspired. You figured you'd be spending a rather large chunk of your time over the next few months at that beach park, and as soon as you were done settling in, you decided it was the first place that you wanted to check out.

You took a deep breath then, hesitating for another slight moment, and then finally, stepped over the threshold.

"Hello?" You called out, looking around for any sign of your mysterious housemates. You knew nothing about them; not their names, or where they were from, anything at all. You had failed to connect with them before making the trip over because the roommates weren't finalized until a few days prior, and you were far too busy getting ready to leave to try to figure out a way to reach out.

You left your luggage by the entrance so you could walk around the house freely. The lights were off, but the large windows were all open, allowing the outside air and light to seep in. You quickly scanned the nearby walls for a thermostat, but were disappointed when you realized that there wasn't one. It was going to be a long, hot summer; air conditions were a rarity in Hawaii.

You continued to look around then, trying to get a feel for your new home as you daydreamed about what your life may be like for the next three months. The kitchen and living room were open and connected, and a hallway led to the four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Upon seeing that all the bedroom doors were open and the rooms were empty, you finally realized that you were the first out of all the housemates to arrive. You were partially relieved that you could have some time alone to get settled in before you had to go through the awkward introductions, house rules, et cetera.

So, you took that as an opportunity to choose whichever room you wanted, and to begin unpacking. The rooms were practically identical; small and square, tan walls, with a bed, desk, dresser, and small closet in each one. Except, the room at the farthest end of the hallway had bigger windows that provided you with a better view of the foliage and palm trees outside.

After unpacking all your clothes, toiletries, and other random things you thought you would need during your stay (including a bulk-pack of sunscreen, and "She's the Man" on DVD), your housemates had yet to show. So, you changed into shorts and a tank top, left a note on the kitchen counter regarding your whereabouts in case anyone happened to show during your time away, and you headed for the beach. You were so giddy and excited to explore your surroundings you even decided to leave your phone behind, wanting to have some time that was completely distraction free.

You walked down the short road, drinking in the sights, and sounds and smells that the island had to offer, only taking you a little less than five minutes before you reached Poipu Beach Park. Rather than exploring the rest of the beach park and the other sections of beach that were connected to it, you sat down on the first stretch of sand that you found, the hot sand slightly burning your skin as you did so.

This stretch of beach was the one with all the surfers and body boarders, and it appeared that it was free of families and small children. Looking out into the water, it appeared it was mostly teenagers and young adults, most of which seemingly very experienced with waves and water. You watched for a while, intrigued and jealous of the blatant talent the surfers had, leading you to your first bucket-list item; you wanted to take a surf lesson before you went home.

You briefly closed your eyes for a while then, soaking up the sun. The light breeze in the air kept you from getting too hot, and the sound of the waves crashing was possibly the most therapeutic noise you'd ever heard. To have a moment in which you could relax so deeply, so freely, was rare for you, and honestly, most of the human population. You had forgotten how nice it was to have time like that by yourself.

Unfortunately, you were only able to enjoy about three minutes of that time of peace before it was interrupted. There you were, minding your own business, when suddenly, a loud WHACK filled your ears. The terrible sound was immediately followed by a sharp pain that covered the back of your head. You groaned in pain, a hand on your head as you whipped around to find the culprit of the sudden attack. You watched as a surfboard was being thrown down into the sand behind you, a boy now crouching beside you.

"I AM SO SORRY OH MY GOSH ARE YOU OKAY?!" He exclaimed, blatant worry occupying his tanned face. You blinked, momentarily phased by the pain that was overwhelming you.

"Um...I think so?" The words that left your mouth presented themselves more as a question rather than a sure statement. "D-Did you just hit me with a surfboard?"

"Y-Yes, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, and my friends were waiting for me, and I wasn't holding the board straight as I was running," the boy seemed sincere with his apology, biting his lip as he awaited your response. He didn't look like a native Hawaiian; maybe he was Japanese or Korean. His hair was a dark brown color, and he was wearing a black Volcom rash-guard. But, the skin was exposed was tanned in a way that conveyed he must've spent most of his waking hours outside.

"Hoseok, c'mon! What are you doing?!" You looked at where all the shouting was coming from, and you saw that there were two other boys with surfboards, standing by the edge of the shore. They both had a darker complexion, and looked like they might be native Hawaiians.

"Just a second!" He shouted back, before turning his attention back to you. "Are you okay?" he asked again, seemingly growing impatient at your lack of answers because he was obviously worried.

"Um...Yeah," you replied weakly even though your head was throbbing with pain. You removed your hand from its place on the back of your head, surprised that it had a tinge of red on it. You looked back up at the boy and offered a weak smile.

"Gosh, you're bleeding. Um, hold on let me think," he started, looking over at the guys were still waiting impatiently by the shore.

"Hoseok! Hurry up!" The other boy was calling this time, he seemed younger than the first.

"Just go without me!" he waved them off.

"Y-You can go. I'm okay," you said awkwardly.

"Are you kidding? I practically just broke your head with a surfboard," he said, standing up and brushing the sand off his knees after he did so.

"Go without you?!" one of the boys called out, but you weren't sure which one because your eyes were trained on Hoseok.

"Yes, Kai! Just take Kaylen and go!" there was a twinge of impatience in Hoseok's voice.

"But, I wanted to go with you today!" you could tell the younger boy was pouting, even from the semi-long distance away.

"I'll meet you guys at Puka later, okay? Go!"

The two boys finally complied then, the younger one's shoulder slumping as they turned to make their way into the water. You weren't sure why, but you felt a pang of sadness at the sight of the young boy looking so down.

"Here," Hoseok said suddenly, dragging you out of your inner thoughts as he extended a hand toward you. You were confused for a moment before it finally registered that he was trying to help you up. You took hold of his hand then, surprised at how soft his skin was as he easily pulled you off the ground.

"I just bought this," he sighed, before grabbing the hem of his rash-guard and pulling it over his head.

"Um-" you started, confused but then flustered at the sight of him shirtless. That boy was toned.

"Here," he handed you the shirt. You looked at him with questioning eyes, and he laughed.

"You need to put pressure on the place where you're bleeding because I can't tell how bad the wound is. Are you feeling okay? Light-headed? Dizzy?"

"No, none of that. I really doubt it's anything serious," you reassured him, but balled up the rash-guard and held it against the back of your head anyway.

"There's a lifeguard stand over on the next part of the beach, and you should have one of them look at your head and make sure that you don't need stitches or anything," Hoseok said then, pointing down the beach.

"Oh okay. Um, thank you," you replied, beginning to walk slowly that way before he suddenly reappeared next to you again.

"I'll just walk you over there," he said simply.

"You don't have to do that."

"Again, I put a gash in the back of your head. The least I can do is make sure you're really okay," he chuckled as you guys continued to walk, now stepping into the grassy park area that connected all the stretches of beach together. There were more people in this section; picnic tables were scattered throughout it.

"Wait, what about your surfboard?" you remembered how he had tossed down into the sand, and how he was without it now.

"The guys I was with will grab it for me if they leave before I get back," he explained, using a hand to fan his face as the two of you walked to a particularly bright and hot area of the beach park.

"You aren't worried about someone stealing it?"

He shook his head, "Around here? Nope."

"I guess you know a lot of people from around here then?"

"Yeah I'm pretty tight with the locals because of my friend Kai. Tourists at that section of the beach are few and far between because of how rough the water and current are. So, I don't really worry too much about leaving my stuff behind. And if it does get stolen, I have about seven other boards at home anyway," he explained casually, running a hand through his hair in which the wind had tousled.

"So, girl who's head I almost broke, what's your name?" He smiled at you then, revealing incredibly white teeth and huge chubby cheeks. You couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm Y/N."

"Y/N," he repeated, "I'm Hoseok. Sorry we couldn't have met on better terms," he laughed again, and so did you. "I haven't seen you around Poipu before, so I'm assuming you're just visiting?"

"Yeah, I'll be here for the next three months for a university course I'm taking. I actually just got here today."

"Ah, I see. First time in Hawaii?"

"Yup."

"Sorry again," he apologized for the hundredth time.

"It's okay, I know it was an accident," you tried to put him at ease since he still clearly felt so bad. 

"But your first memory of Hawaii is going to be getting smacked in the head."

"It'll make a good story to tell, though," you smiled at him that time.

"I suppose that's true." You looked over at Hoseok again, suddenly curious about his life and what his purpose was in Hawaii. You didn't have the chance to ask, however, as the two of you reached the lifeguard station.

Hoseok hopped up the steps and poked his head inside the small building, "Yo Lea, I could use your help for a second," he said, and seconds later, a girl in a lifeguard outfit appeared outside beside him. She had a complexion similar to the two boys that you saw on the beach with Hoseok.

"So, I accidentally hit this girl in the head with the edge of my surfboard," Hoseok started, leading Lea to give him a disapproving look.

"You did what?"

"It really was just an accident," Hoseok continued, "And she's bleeding so I thought-"

"Geez, Hoseok," Lea shook her head, stepping toward you. "Mind if I look?"

"Go ahead."

Lea moved your hair slightly then, looking at the wound. "It doesn't look that bad, and I really doubt that it needs stitches. But you should pay attention to how you feel over the next few hours, and if anything seems off, then get someone to take you to the ER so they can make sure you don't have a concussion. Do you have anyone that can keep an eye on you?"

You bit your lip as Lea stepped out from behind you, now standing next to you and Hoseok. "My housemates hadn't arrived yet when I left for the beach earlier. Maybe they're home now, though."

Lea sighed, tossing another harsh look at Hoseok. "Make sure she gets home okay."

You shook your head then, "Really, I'm okay," you insisted. You wondered what the relationship was between Lea and Hoseok; she was bossing him around and shooting him frowns. You couldn't tell from their appearances who was older, though, you assumed it was probably Lea. "I only live right up the street from the first stretch of beach," you added, trying to convince them that you'd be okay on your own.

"Well if you're only up the street, then Hoseok shouldn't have any problem taking time out of his "busy surfing schedule" to make sure you get there safely," Lea was looking at Hoseok the whole time, her voice full of sass.

You were so intimidated by the older girl that you didn't even bother to argue again.

"No problem," Hoseok easily complied, "Let's go."

"Um, thank you," you offered Lea a smile before you and Hoseok turned around to begin walking home.

Once out of earshot, you asked, "Was that your sister? She's kind of scary."

Hoseok sighed, "She's not my real sister, but she acts like she is."

"Oh. How do you know her?" you asked partially out of curiosity, and partially out of fear that awkward silence would overcome the two of you if you didn't continue to make an effort to further the conversation. There was nothing you hated more than awkward silence.

"She's my friend Kai's older sister. I've spent so much time around them that she's practically adopted me as her third younger brother. She can be a little scary sometimes, but she looks out for us," Hoseok answered with hesitation, and you were pleased with how easily he answered your questions. He seemed like a very open and easy-going type of person. You respected that and it was the opposite of the way that you typically were.

"Oh, how long have you been in Hawaii for?" As soon as you asked that question, it made you start wondering about his age, and how close in age relation he was to you. You caught sight of his abs again and forced yourself to look away, out into the water. 

"About three years. I came here to visit Kai, who I became friends with online, and I just never left. Pretty commonly told story around here. If you end up doing any island tours, ask your non-Hawaiian guides that question, and they'll probably give you the same answer I did."

"Wow, that's so cool that you were so spontaneous. I'd have a nervous breakdown just up and moving somewhere without actually planning to," you chuckled, "And all the different island tours seem really cool, but I'm kind of a broke college student so I doubt I'll have money to do any of them."

"Hey, that's okay. Some of the best things to see on this island are free anyway, as long as you have the right person to show you around," you could've sworn you saw a hint of a smirk on his face, but you couldn't be sure as the two of you were now looking both ways to cross the street, about to reach your house.

"This is it," you said a few moments later as the two of you were now standing at the end of your drive. There was a red jeep now parked in the driveway, and you felt a rush of anxiety. "Seems like one of my housemates is finally here."

"Have you met any of them before?"

"Nope," you breathed. "I'm nervous, honestly." You realized then that you were still clutching the bloody rash-guard in your hand. "Um, sorry about your shirt."

"No worries, you can toss it. I'll just buy a new one."

"I can pay you back-"

"Really, don't worry. You can pay me back by enjoying your time here," he smiled at you again, and you were struck with how huge his smile was.

"Deal."

You left then after saying goodbye, taking a deep breath as you walked up the drive and to the house. And when you glanced behind you, Hoseok was still standing there, only leaving after you safely crossed the threshold, and made it inside of your home.


	5. payback

YOUR POV

"No, Paige, I'm telling you! I did not take your stupid cashmere sweater! I don't even like cashmere!" You were barely in the entrance of the house as the sounds angry girls yelling at each other filled your ears, your mind still swirling with thoughts that surrounded Hoseok, who had only just now left the end of your drive.

"Then why was it in your suitcase?!" Another voice demanded, high-pitched and screeching just as loudly as the first. You cringed, and then realized that you were still clutching Hoseok's bloody rash-guard. You side-stepped into the tiny cupboard where the washing machine resided, throwing it in and making a mental note that you would try to rescue the expensive piece of clothing that he had sacrificed for your head.

"You probably threw it into mine instead of yours by accident, you idiot! We were packing our bags right next to each other! And why would I want to steal and pack one of your hideous sweaters, anyway?! Newsflash; we're in Hawaii! It's like eighty-two degrees here every single day!" The other girl shot back as you emerged. You could now see that the two yelling girls were standing in the far part of the living room that was close to the hallway full of bedrooms.

"Whatever," one of the angry girls huffed, turning, and rushing back down the hallway and into her room. The other girl was left standing there, and she noticed you then as you offered a very awkward smile, unsure of what to do.

"Oh, hi. I'm Y/N, um, one of your other housemates," you offered nervously.

"Hi," the girl said flatly, "I'm Emma." The two of you had an uncomfortable moment of just staring at each other. ---physical desc.

"Nice to meet you," you tried to smile again, but Emma's face remained flat and bored-looking. "W-What's the other girl's name? Is she your friend?"

"That's Paige, and unfortunately, she's my sister," Emma rolled her eyes, "I have a lot of stuff to so," she pointed in the direction of the bedrooms. You nodded as Emma stalked off down the hallway, the sound of a door being slammed shut following close behind.

You stood in your spot for a moment, sighing. It was going to be a long three months if the two of them were screaming at each other like that the whole time. You chalked their bad behavior up to exhaustion and jet-lag, hoping that was the case as you crossed your fingers while making your way to your room to grab some different clothes.

The afternoon was progressively growing into the evening now, and all you wanted was something good to eat. It had been several hours since you last ate, and you hadn't realized how hungry you had truly become. Nobody in the house had been grocery shopping, so the fridge was still completely empty. This left you with no choice but to go out to eat. However, you looked like an absolute mess; half-covered in sand, a slight sunburn, and dried blood in your hair. You figured it would be best to take a shower before you left, wanting to save the general public from having to see you looking that bad.

Once in the shower, you ran your hands through your sand and blood dirtied hair, relishing in the feeling of the hot water slightly burning your skin. While you were massaging the shampoo into your hair, you were careful around the spot that had been hurt, leading your thoughts back to the boy, back to Hoseok.

The whole afternoon definitely hadn't gone the way you were planning nor expecting it to go. The gash in the back of your head was surely going to be a nuisance, but you couldn't find it in yourself to be truly angry at the boy, or even irritated with him. His words and actions following the incident were kind and thoughtful, so at heart he seemed like a genuine person. You hoped that the would be able to meet more people like him during your time in Hawaii. Those were the kind of people that you longed to be around.

You turned off the water a few minutes later, your stream of consciousness ending as you toweled off and got dressed, hunger gnawing at your stomach. Even after you were out of the shower, the bedroom doors of Emma and Paige were still closed. You rolled your eyes and decided to not bother to inform them of your whereabouts this time around. From what you had just witnessed, it was probably best to just leave them alone. You could only hope that your fourth and final housemate had a better attitude than they did.

You grabbed your wallet, and phone, and opening google maps, before stepping outside into the evening island air.

☼☼☼

Hoseok's POV

Hoseok's flip-flops smacked against the clean sidewalks of Poipu Shopping Village as he whistled and walked, hands in his pockets. He was now in a black V-Neck that had been washed and worn the perfect amount of times, rendering the material soft, and comforting to wear. He had a black snapback covering his half-wet, half-dry, mostly unruly hair that had been a result of the quick shower he took at home. The hat was necessary as he didn't want his hair to be sticking out in various different directions as he walked around in public.

After dropping you off at your house, Hoseok had returned to the beach where Kai and Kaylen had already returned from the surf. Kaylen was sitting on the edge of the beach, his knees drawn up to his chest as Kai was annoyed, sitting beside him. The younger boy had been severely disappointed by Hoseok's absence. So much so that he had had a bad attitude with his brother while in the water, making Kai ultimately decide to just give up on surfing for the day. Kai was clearly irritable as Hoseok approached, but he said he was still down to later meet up at Puka for dinner.

The decision to quit surfing for the day was fine with Hoseok, however, because after the incident with you, and after getting scolded by his surrogate sister, his mind was distracted with other things. Even if he had gone out in the water, he figured his thoughts would be too caught up elsewhere to catch any good waves, much less to pay fair attention to Kaylen.

So, he returned home for a while. He cleaned the surfboard, suppressing a smile as he put it up in his garage alongside his many other boards. That surfboard would always have a significant memory for him now. Because even if he never saw you again, he would always remember what had happened on the beach that day. Truth was, he felt really terrible about the accident. But, you had been so easily forgiving about it that he didn't feel the need to carry the burden of guilt. The only real loss that occurred at the beach that day for Hoseok was his previous Volcom rash-guard.

"Hobi! You made it!" Kaylen exclaimed, leaving his spot on the bench in which he had been waiting. 

"I promised I would come, didn't I?" Hoseok grinned, ruffling the younger boy's hair. 

"Yeah, but you also promised that you would come surfing with me today," Kaylen pouted, and Hoseok frowned. 

"I said I was sorry, I had to help the girl I accidentally hit," Hoseok reminded him before allowing his face to break out into another smile, "How about we go to the north shore on Saturday? Huh? Me, you, Kai, and Leah. What do you say?"

Kaylen's eyes lit up at the offer, "Just the four of us?"

"Just the four of us," Hoseok confirmed, ruffling the boy's hair once more, "Now run over to your brother and order us some dinner," he said, pointing over to the outdoor restaurant Puka-Dog, where Kai was unhappily serving customers. 

"Okay!" Kaylen agreed as he grinned, running off toward the stand. 

Hoseok smiled as he watched the boy looking happy again, taking off his snapback momentarily to run his hand through his hair and sighed. He'd been in Hawaii for three years, and yet he was still in awe at how pleasant the evening island breeze was. He had yet to begin to take his surroundings for granted; he wasn't sure that he ever would. They were too vibrant, too intense to ever consider ignoring. 

He ate dinner alongside Kaylen, joking around and making fun of Kai who was busy pressing lemons for their world-famous lemonade. 

"This is hard work, okay! You try coming over here and squeezing the juice out of a hundred lemons every day!" Kai complained when there weren't any other customers around, eliciting laughter from both Hoseok and Kaylen. 

"Bro, you act like you're the only one around here that has a job," Hoseok pointed out, taking a sip of the large lemonade he'd ordered for the sole purpose of spiting Kai. 

"You work at a Ukelele shop in Koloa. That isn't exactly hard work," Kai rolled his eyes, before replacing his scowl with a fake smile as a new person approached. 

"Throw your trash away and I'll treat you to ice cream, alright?" Hoseok told Kaylen as he stood, pushing his chair in. Kaylen quickly obeyed, throwing the trash away. 

"You don't have to pay for dessert," Kai insisted, "I'll give you some cash for him."

"No, that's okay. I feel bad that I made him miss out today," Hoseok said as Kaylen reapproached. "We'll be right back."

Papalani Gelato was right across from Puka. It was a super small store, but it was some of the best ice cream that Hoseok had ever had. It was expensive, so it was a special treat that he only got with friends once in a while. 

The bell at the top of the door rang as Hoseok entered with Kaylen, and he was pleased to find that there was only one other customer in the store. Usually, there was a pretty long line. 

"Do you know which flavor you want?" Hoseok asked, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. 

"Hmm...I'll have to look in the display case," Kaylen shrugged. 

"What do you recommend?" the girl in front of him asked the lady working, and Hoseok smiled. Newcomers. 

"The Kona Coffee is our featured flavor of the month," the worker offered as she smiled weakly from behind the counter. The recommendation didn't sound genuine; more like something that corporate forced the employees to say to customers who asked. 

"No, no you don't want that," Hoseok intervened to save the poor girl who was about to order the worst flavor in the entire case. He moved forward, "Tiger Butter is the way to go because-" He looked up from the display, meeting the girl's eyes then, only to realize she looked incredibly familiar. 

Because she was you. 

"Oh! You're the girl from earlier!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide from surprise. 

"Hobi, do you know her?" Kaylen asked, pushing his way forward so that he could begin looking in the display case. 

"This is the girl from the beach earlier, the one I hit with my surfboard."

"You hit someone with a surfboard?" the employee asked in a rather judgemental tone. 

"Hey, it was an accident-"

"It was an accident-" both Hoseok and you said at the same time. He turned back to face you, grinning sheepishly. 

"Um, how is your head, by the way?"

You shrugged, "Once I got all of the dried blood out of my hair I was good to go."

He chuckled, "Well, I'm glad. How did it go with-"

"Are you guys going to order ice cream or what? Because you realize there's four other people waiting behind you now," the employee was now clearly irritated by the three of you, and Hoseok forced another smile because it wasn't in his nature to be rude. 

"Right," he said, still looking at you, "What do you want? I'll pay."

"You don't need to-"

"I still feel bad about earlier, and my pride is hurt. Let me buy you an ice cream cone," he said simply. 

You nodded a bit awkwardly, "I guess I'll try uh, tiger, uh, what was it?"

"Tiger Butter," Hoseok ordered for you, "Two scoops. And a," Hoseok looked down at Kaylen, "What do you want?"

"Chocolate."

"Two scoops of Tiger Butter, and one of chocolate," Hoseok clarified, begin to pull and count money from his wallet as he moved toward the cash register. 

"You're not getting anything?" Kaylen seemed confused, but then distracted and happy again as the counter girl passed him his ice cream. 

"I don't really feel like eating ice cream today," Hoseok lied, smiling again as you got your ice cream. He passed the bills over to the worker, and she flatly said "Have a nice day" as the three of you made your way out of the store. 

"Can we go sit in the grass? All of the chickens walk around over there," Kaylen said in between bites of ice cream, chocolate running all over his chin. 

"Is that okay with you?" Hoseok asked you. 

"Sure. Thanks again for the ice cream, you really didn't have to pay for it."

"No worries! It was the least I could do."

"I still feel bad, though. It wasn't cheap..." You took a bite then, "Okay, wow. That's the best ice cream I've ever had. The price is justified."

Hoseok laughed, nodding in agreement as the three of you walked toward the grass where Kaylen wanted to sit. 

Truthfully, that ice cream was expensive. And he had used the last of the money in his wallet to buy it for you.


	6. tomorrow's ours

YOUR POV

"Why are there so many chickens on Kauai?" You asked curiously through a mouthful of ice cream, now sitting beside Hoseok in the open grassy area of the shopping center. You'd been comfortably sitting there with him for a while. You kept finding yourself surprised at how, already, you didn't feel too awkward around him anymore. He was so easygoing, so kind...You were at ease, and given the situation, it felt a bit strange to feel that way. Regardless, you were perfectly content spending your first evening in Hawaii with him. 

"After Hurricane Inki back in the 90s, a bunch of domesticated chickens got released all over the island. The people here didn't mess with them, and they have no natural predators, so they kind of just spread out and are everyone now," Hoseok explained, leaning back and supporting himself with his hands, and tilting his head back, the waning sun washing over his already tanned face. 

"Oh, that makes sense. They definitely aren't shy of people," you chuckled, watching as Kaylen broke off pieces of the waffle cone to give to the chickens to eat. 

"People feed them here all the time," Hoseok laughed, "If you haven't noticed all the chickens are fat."

His laughter was like music to your ears, managing to elicit a smile from you. "That's true."

"Sunset is going to begin soon," he murmured, his eyes trained up at the sky that slowly starting to become stained with streaks of pink and deep orange. "Wait, Y/N!" He exclaimed suddenly, sitting completely back up. 

"What?" you said with surprise at his sudden burst of excitement. 

"This is your first day in Hawaii!"

"Yeah?"

"That means you've never seen a Hawaiian sunset before! We need to go to the beach! Now!" He was beaming, his smile large and incredibly bright. "C'mon, get up!" He hopped up to his feet, offering you his hand and pulling you up off the ground. 

☼☼☼ 

He left Kaylen with Kai, at first lightly holding your hand to pull you in the right direction. You ran beside him along the flower-littered sidewalks, happiness rising in your chest as you did so. He was giddy and excited, urging you to hurry up so that you would make it on time. 

It was a strange light feeling; freely down the sidewalks with a boy you barely knew, in a place that was unfamiliar, the wind billowing through your hair without you having a single care about how it looked. You kind of let yourself go in that moment, literally just going with the flow of nature without the weight of anxiety or the fear of unknowns inhibiting you. Back home, running off with a random boy would've never been something you'd allow yourself to do. But here, the pace of life was different. Time felt different. Even the air felt different. And because you finally felt disconnected from home and judgemental eyes, you felt okay about pushing your limits. 

"Hurry! Take off your shoes!" Hoseok shouted, nearly tripping over his own feet as he pulled his flip-flops off before jumping into the warm sand. You followed suit, except unlike Hosoek, you actually ended up falling down. 

"Are you okay?" he giggled, reaching to help pull you off the sand, your clothes now covered in it. 

"I guess I can't catch a break with the universe today," you laughed as you attempted to brush off some of the sand that was sticking to you. 

"Forget that," Hoseok said as he watched you, "Come over here!" He ran off down the beach, prompting you to follow him. 

The sky you were faced with couldn't be described as anything other than stunning. You could feel Hoseok's eyes on you as you stared up at the sky, in complete awe of the brilliance of colors that were radiating from it. 

"Pretty amazing, huh?" he murmured, his voice calmer and softer now. 

"I've never seen anything like it," you breathed, overwhelmed by the sheer beauty you were seeing, and by a plethora of emotions that were unfamiliar to you. Is this what it felt like to be free? Is this what it felt like to truly let yourself go? You weren't sure but you knew that you loved those feelings and that you wanted to chase after anything that made you feel them. 

"I'm still not used to it...It doesn't ever get old," Hoseok replied. You snuck a glance at him, his profile view visible to you as his head was tilted upward, admiring the sky. There was something so blatantly positive about his presence. You had only known him for barely even a day, but you already recognized that he was the type of person to immediately uplift a person's mood. He seemed like the kind to always look for the good in things, and he was explicitly honest. And those things were attractive. 

You stood beside Hoseok on the beach until the sun had completely disappeared, the night air a comfortable cool with a slight breeze. 

"Thanks for making sure I got to see that," you thanked him, both of you put your shoes back on as you reached the sidewalk. 

"Of course. It was the first thing that Kai showed me when I first got here," Hoseok explained, yawning slightly as he did so. "It's been a long day for both of us, hasn't it?" he chuckled. 

"You have no idea...That plane ride was exhausting," you reciprocated his smiles and laughter. "And of course, getting a huge gash in the back of my head didn't exactly help me out all that much."

He looked guilty again, and he opened his mouth to likely apologize for the millionth time before you intervened. "I'm only kidding."

"Phew, I was starting to get scared again," he smiled, his dimples showing. You smiled back. "Oh, but do you know how to get back to your house from here?"

You stopped walking alongside him, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings that were even more unfamiliar in the low light. "Um..."

"I'll take that as a no. Come on, I'll just walk you home. I only live two streets over from there anyway," he offered, and you weren't really in much of a position to refuse, given that you had no idea where you were. 

The sidewalks weren't completely empty, but they were quiet. You and Hoseok weren't the only ones who had dropped what you were doing to absorb the sight of that beautiful sunset. 

"So, how do your housemates seem?" he asked casually, interrupting the previous silence that had surprisingly not been uncomfortable at all. 

"They're um...Well, they're interesting..." you allowed. 

"You're being way too nice."

"Okay, they're two crazy sisters who were screaming about stolen cashmere sweaters," it felt nice to have someone to complain to about it all. 

"Cashmere sweaters? They do know they're in Hawaii, right?" Hoseok joked, looking over at you. 

"That's what one sister yelled at the other," you giggled, "It's going to be a long summer now that I'm stuck with them. The fourth housemate hasn't shown yet, so I hope she'll be at least a little less crazy."

"Yeah, I can understand why that would be annoying. But, you shouldn't be spending all of your time in that house anyway. You are in Hawaii, after all. Take advantage of the great outdoors," he lifted his hands then as if he was presenting nature to you. You laughed. 

"True, but I still have school work to do," you sighed, remembering that your first essay over culture shock was due on Sunday night. 

"Oh, that's right. How does being in Hawaii go along with your school work?"

"It's all about integrated into other cultures, doing research, talking to locals, and writing a bunch of papers."

"That sounds fun."

"It is, but it's a lot of work," you sighed again, suddenly not feeling so carefree anymore after remembering your responsibilities. 

"Is there anything I can help you with?" 

You looked over at him, "What do you mean?"

He grinned, "I know this island like the back of my hand and my best friends are native Hawaiians. Isn't it obvious how I could help?" 

"Oh...Duh," you smiled sheepishly. 

"I mean, don't feel like you're obligated to say yes or anything, but just know that we're around. I live down the street from Brennecke's, that two-story blue building with the chipping paint across from Poipu Beach. So, if you ever find yourself needing a little adventure, or maybe a little culture, come find me."

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude on your life or anything," you felt a bit uneasy about just randomly showing up at someone's house, even if they were offering for you to do so. 

"Look, Y/N, one of my favorites things to do is to show new people around this place and to let them really see all it has to offer, apart from the tourist traps. I want people to see why I really love it here, and why the locals do too. But, I don't get the opportunity to do that very often. And all of the sudden, here you are, and here you'll be for three months. Your assignments just so happen to require you to experience what the real Hawaiian way of life is. If you would let me, I would love to be apart of that," he explained sincerely, relieving your previous apprehension. 

"That's really kind of you to offer, Hoseok...Beware, I might actually take you up on it," you smirked. 

"I hope that you do."

You two were crossing the final street, already back at your house. 

"Thanks for walking me home...Again." It was hard to believe that you had only been here for one day, given everything that had happened. "We're completely even now, so don't you dare feel bad anymore, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"I promise."


	7. inspiration

Your fourth housemate showed up three days later, rousing you from sleep that was filled with dreams of a boy who had a bright smile and huge dimples. It was just past eleven at night when you heard a car door slam outside your window, shortly followed by a few smooth knocks on the front door. You shot straight up in bed, assuming the arrival of whom you hoped would be a good addition to the house.

You didn't even consider the fact you looked half asleep and had bedhead as you scrambled into the living room and then into the hallway, tip-toeing slightly to look into the peephole on the front door. Sure, enough the person waiting outside was a girl surrounded by all her luggage. You quickly unlocked the door and swung it open, face to face with her. She was short and redheaded, freckles spotting across her nose and cheeks.

"Oh, hi!" she chirped, seeming a bit surprised by your sudden presence. "I'm Mia; I'm moving in here today for the Hawaiian culture exchange program," she explained a bit uneasily. She seemed shy.

"I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you," you greeted her and smiled, "Do you need help getting your stuff inside?"

"Oh, that'd be great. Thank you so much," she handed a duffle bag to you before grabbing the handles on her two suitcases. You pushed the door completely open, turning to lead her inside.

"How was your flight?" you inquired, trying to break the somewhat awkward silence that always seemed to be attached you while meeting someone new.

"Long," she chuckled, "And loud. I don't understand why so many people bring their babies to Hawaii. It's not like they're going to remember the trip when they're older, anyway."

"Tell me about it! It makes the plane rides so miserable," you agreed, turning into the hallway and then the last empty room. "Okay, so this is your place. I'm in the room to the left, and the other two are taken by Paige and Emma. They're sisters, and they're probably asleep which is a good thing for you."

Mia raised an eyebrow as she set her stuff down.

"I mean, I'm not talking bad about them, but...They tend to be kind of...Well, kind of...unpleasant?" you weren't sure how to accurately describe the two feuding sisters. All you knew was that Mia at least deserved a warning of their attitudes before she had to face them head-on.

"Got it," Mia smiled, "Thanks for the heads-up. You can just throw that bag on the floor, I'll unpack it later. I think I probably need to sleep for the next 15 or so hours," she laughed.

"Right. I'm sure you must be exhausted. Good night, then," you set her bag down and started to leave.

"Y/N, again, it's nice to meet you! I hope we can be good friends," Mia seemed sincere, and that made you happy.

"Me too!"

☼☼☼

You didn't find yourself particularly needing inspiration until early the next morning, Saturday. Mia was still asleep, exhausted form the flight. You had planned to write your first essay in the peace and quiet of a Hawaiian morning, but now Paige and Emma were watching Big Brother in the living room, yelling at the TV and eating pancakes.

You sat and stared at the blank word document that needed to be filled with at least 2,000 words about culture shock and first experiences in Hawaii. But you couldn't figure out how to get started and the noise in the adjoining room was distracting.

Stressed, you shut your laptop and sighed, knowing the hours in which you had time left to complete the assignment were dwindling away. You figured you weren't going to be productive while that annoyed anyway, so you got dressed and headed outside to take a walk around Poipu. Maybe all you needed was a little fresh island air to get you excited.

The sidewalks were peaceful, the only other people outside that early in the morning being joggers that never seemed to stop exercising in the neighborhood. You found yourself walking past Brennecke's, continuing down the sidewalk that was littered with plumeria flowers. You were grateful you'd been placed in Poipu; it was the cutest little town.

But, upon not really paying attention to where you were walking, you realized you had arrived on the very street in which Hoseok told you he lived. Curiosity rather than rational thinking guided your footsteps as you looked upon the few houses, wondering which one belonged to him. You stood still on the sidewalk, your eyes scanning down each house and its physical appearance, thinking of things that might give away Hoseok's residence. Surfboards were your first thought, but every house had a few in their open garages, so that didn't do you much good.

After at least five minutes of standing there and trying to figure out where he lived, you realized how weird and creepy you probably looked to the morning joggers. As you shrugged and turned to leave, the wondering of the houses still nagging at you, you ran into a familiar face.

"Oh! You're the girl that Hoseok hit with a surfboard!" It was Lea, the lifeguard from your first day at the beach, and Hoseok's "surrogate sister".

"That's right," you chuckled awkwardly. Apparently "the girl that Hoseok hit with a surfboard" was how everyone was going to recognize you around here.

"How's your head?"

"It's fine now."

"Great! Sorry again that you had to deal with that. Hoseok's bad at paying attention," Lea started, another boy who you were unfamiliar with walking up behind her, lugging two surfboards along with him.

"Are the snacks in your backpack?" the guy asked as he approached Lea, nodding toward the black backpack she was wearing. He was incredibly tall, easily towering over the both of you with black hair that swooshed down almost in front his eyes.

"I got 'em," she nodded, before both of their attention was back on you.

"Are you coming with us today?" the guy asked in a friendly way.

"Oh, um, I don't-" you stuttered in response, unsure of how to explain why you were standing on the sidewalk in front of what must've been Hoseok's house.

"Yeah, you should come with us!" Lea exclaimed, "I mean if you don't already have other plans, it'd be fun if you want to come along. Isn't that why you're here, anyway?"

"Well, not exact-"

But then you heard a door close behind you, Hoseok, Kaylen, and Kai emerging from the house.

"Oh! Y/N!" He called out immediately, his dimples appearing as he smiled largely. He quickly met the three of you out on the sidewalk, Kaylen and Kai going into the garage to being loading up the truck.

"What are you doing here?" he barely even tried to contain his obvious excitement that you were standing before him. You prayed that you weren't blushing.

"To be honest, I was just going for a walk when I bumped into Lea," you smiled sheepishly, feeling awkward all over again.

"Do you have plans today?" he asked.

"Not really...I came out walking to try and get some inspiration for my paper."

"We're heading up to Hanalei to go surfing. You should come with us!"

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to intrude or anything-"

"You aren't intruding at all," Lea said, "We like showing new people around the island."

"Well, I don't really surf..." For some reason, you felt uncomfortable about the situation and immediately accepting the invitation because they still didn't really know you, and you didn't know them.

"Lea doesn't surf either, so no worries," the guy whose name you still hadn't managed to catch chimed in.

"Really, Y/N. We totally don't mind bringing you along...Remember the offer I made before...I meant that," Hoseok reassured you, smiling once more, "No better way to get inspiration than to go and see something new."

"Okay," you found yourself giving in to that, "I'll come. But I don't have any of my stuff with me."

"We'll swing by your house on the way," Hoseok cheered, "Let's go!"

☼☼☼

Hoseok's POV

Hoseok and you ended up having to sit in the bed of the truck for the entirety of the hour and a half ride together. Surfboards and backpacks crowded up a lot of the space, and all of the interior seats were full between Kai, Kaylen, Lea, and her boyfriend Felix.

"Is it not illegal to do this on major highways?" you asked as he reached for your hand, helping to pull you up into the back of the truck. He was surprised at how easily you took his hand without questioning his intentions.

"It probably is, but they won't really get you for it here," Hoseok shrugged, sitting down opposite of you, and leaning up against the side. He was excited that you were sitting across from him, that you had agreed to come along at all. He couldn't believe he didn't think to invite you a few nights ago. Truth was, he was curious about you but didn't want to come on too strong; maybe it was best he didn't invite you and that you showed up by your own accord.

It was difficult to talk to each other while sitting in the back of the truck because of the wind noise. Despite Kauai's notoriously slow speed limits, it was still loud. So, Hoseok spent most of that time watching you enjoy your surroundings. He found it cute how in awe you were at the scenery that continually flew by. Every now and then you would look at him and smile after pointing to something you found particularly pretty. 

"What's this place called?" you marveled as the truck slowed down, your eyes full of wonder as you absorbed the sudden change of scenery. 

"This is called 'Tunnel of Trees'," Hoseok grinned, "It's pretty cool, right?"

"I've never seen anything like it."

"If you think this is cool, just wait to see what else I can show you."

He was content during those simple moments, strangely happy to be alongside a girl he barely knew. It wasn't that he was in a lull of life before, or that he wasn't appreciative of the great people that already surrounded him. But he couldn't deny the refreshing factor that came with being around someone new. You were different from other people he'd met that were living in Hawaii during an interim. You seemed truly open to explore and step outside of your comfort zone. He had a lot of respect for that. 

With only another twenty minutes left to reach Hanalei, Kai had to pull over to fill up the truck. 

"Do you guys come this way often?" you asked as you stood, stretching. 

"Couple times a year, maybe? We like it on this side, but to me, nothing beats Poipu beach," he replied, "Hanalei is a cool town, though. You up for some island shopping today?"

"Hey, I'm the tag-a-long so I'll do whatever you want to do. I'm up for anything," you grinned, pausing for a second before adding, "Except surfing."

"Aww c'mon, what do you have against surfing?" he pouted, "It's my favorite thing to do."

"I'd be more than happy to watch you surf, but I won't be joining in. I haven't exactly had the best luck with surfboards so far," you smirked, clearly referring to the first day incident. 

"Okay, but that was an isolated incident."

"What about sharks?" you sat back down. "Sharks don't concern you?"

"I just try not to think about them."

"That doesn't seem like the best attitude to have about animals that can kill you," you countered. 

"I could get killed driving to work tomorrow; I try not to let fear stop me from doing the things I love..." he trailed off for a moment, "But, yeah, to be honest, the thought does worry me once in a while. If I complain about it, though, Kai usually punches me and tells me to stop being wimpy."

"He seems intense." Kai pulled the truck back out on the highway, quickly picking speed.

"He's been through a lot...I have a theory that he wasn't always this way," Hoseok said, but the sudden wind carried his words away; you already distracted again by the palm trees and clear skies.


	8. alive again

The beach stretched much farther than you had anticipated it would, with pockets of people of all ages stretched out across it. However, the biggest surprise was the large pier that stretched out into the water and the beautiful mountainous landscape that fell behind it. You had never seen a section of earth that was so attractive before, and you felt excitement rise in your chest.

Hoseok practically jumped out of the back of the truck the second that Kai brought it to a stop in the parking lot. He smiled, his excitement showing through as well, reaching for your hand to help you get down.

"This place is amazing! I can't believe you prefer Poipu over this," you exclaimed, almost spinning in a circle so you could absorb all the corners of your magnificent surroundings.

"I'll admit, it's difficult to beat the views at Hanalei Pier. But, the waves for surfing are much better back home," Hoseok reached for the first surfboard and pulled it out of the back of the track.

"Oh, how come you wanted to drive this far then? If the waves aren't the best?" You went over beside Hoseok, standing on your tiptoes as you struggled to reach for your backpack. Hoseok chuckled and grabbed it for you, slinging it over his shoulder.

"You don't have to carry that. I can-"

"I got it. And this beach is good for beginner surfers. Kaylen has been struggling with some of his technique lately, so Kai and Felix and I thought it would be good to bring him out here to practice. A change of scenery might help him get over his mental block," Hoseok explained as the others began to pile out of the truck.

"Y/N! We can let these perfectly capable, strong boys do the heavy lifting. Want to help me find a nice stretch of sand to sit on?" Lea grinned, skipping toward you.

"Thanks for calling me a 'perfectly capable, strong boy', but I personally think that you're a perfectly capable, strong girl," Felix smirked, coming up behind her, an arm around her waist to stop her from walking any farther.

"Flirting with me isn't going to convince me to carry that bag."

Felix pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Silly girl," he chuckled before slipping the bag on her shoulder so quickly that she couldn't resist it. He retreated back to the other boys, beginning to drag out the other surfboards.

"Felix!" Lea complained, pouting.

"It's already on your shoulder now so you might as well just carry it," he turned for a brief moment and winked at her. You suppressed a laugh.

"I hate you!"

"Love you too, babe," Felix called out without turning around, leaving Lea muttering under breath about how he's a flirty idiot.

"You guys are cute," you said as you began to walk alongside Lea down the beach.

"Thanks. I want to kill him sometimes, but he really is great. We've been through a lot together," Lea adjusted the bag on her shoulder, "So, Y/N, enlighten me. How's your time in Hawaii been so far?"

"I'm still just trying to get used to everything, but it's been good. Hoseok's been really kind to me, and I've appreciated that a lot considering I barely know anyone here yet," you spoke honestly, not embarrassed to share your gratitude toward Hoseok.

"I find it funny that you say Hoseok's been kind to you since he nearly broke your head open," Lea let out a giggle.

"When will everyone stop bringing that up?" you let out an exasperated laugh, "It was a dumb accident and he's more than made up for it since then."

"Fair enough," the corner of Lea's mouth turned up into a smirk, "You're letting him off easy because he's cute, right?"

The question caught you off guard. "Well, I mean-" You began, unsure of whether it would be weird to tell her that she wasn't wrong about his looks.

"Hoseok's like my brother, but I'm not blind. He's hot." You and Lea both paused, practically glancing back over at him in unison as he removed his cotton T-shirt to replace with another Volcom rashguard.

"I guess he already bought a new one then," you mumbled to yourself, quickly removing your eyes from at him at the last second as he looked in yours and Lea's direction.

"Hurry up!" she called out to him before turning and beginning to walk again. "They always take forever to get their stuff together when we go places. Oh! We can sit there!" Lea pointed to a nice stretch of sand that was adequately empty enough for the group to be comfortable.

By the time you and Lea had spread out a few large beach towels for sitting, the boys had finally caught up.

"Can I go now?" That was Kaylen who was impatiently waiting with his surfboard. He looked to both Hoseok and Kai, waiting on one of them to grant him permission to enter the water.

"Go ahead, I'll be out there with you in a second," Kai nodded, sitting down to wax the surfboard.

"Hey, look at me," Hoseok called out before Kaylen had a chance to run out into the ocean. His eyebrows were narrowed and his voice was more serious than you had heard it so far. "Remember the rules, okay? I'm serious. You're not used to this beach and you don't know the water as well as you think you do. Be safe."

"I'll be careful, I promise."

"Alright, go on then."

Kaylen turned, excitedly heading for the water as the three older boys stood by and watched with expressions of mild hesitation. 

"I think I'll just go on ahead with him...This makes me nervous," Kai scratched the back of his head in a fidgeting manner, grabbing his surfboard and tucking it under his arm. 

"You're going to have to learn to trust him one of these days," Lea called out from her spot on the beach towels. 

"I know," Kai grimaced before entering the water anyway, taking off after his little brother. 

"I'm gonna go too," Felix turned for a brief moment to flash a smile at Lea before he too entered the water. 

"Y/N, you sure you don't want to come with?" Hoseok offered one more time, seeming unsure about leaving you behind. 

"I'll be here when you get tired and wanna come back," you smiled at him, "No worries, alright?"

He nodded with a grin and then charged into the water, quickly wading out to meet up with everyone else. 

"They all seem so close. It's cute," you put on your sunshades and laid back on the sand beside Lea who was already attempting to get a tan. 

"We're just a big family," she murmured in reply. 

"How did things get to be this way? I mean, I've always wanted to be apart of one of those tight-knit groups of friends...Never managed to find a group like though, so I started to believe they didn't exist. Until I met Hoseok," you appreciated the feeling of getting to be so genuinely honest. There was something so freeing about being in Hawaii and truly being yourself. It felt okay to be vulnerable, even with someone you barely knew. 

"Kai and Kaylen are my little brothers, you know? I've always been close to them just by nature. Well, I guess Kai's not really so little, I'm only older than him by a year. But, our father is in the army, which eventually caused our mother to leave. I guess she just couldn't deal with him being away all the time and didn't think it was fair anymore...I don't know, I can't really figure her out. But yeah, she's not around anymore. After that happened, Kai and I became laser-focused on caring for Kaylen. He's 14 now, but he had to go through all of the emotional garbage at a young age and I think that messed him up a little. We're careful with him because we don't want his growing up to have to be completely ruined by divorce. If you haven't noticed, Kai's pretty overprotective."

"Wow...I'm sorry you guys had to deal with all that. That's a lot of responsibility to take on...But honestly, I admire both of you for that."

"Thanks. Anyway, I met Felix the summer before I started University, and he just kind of fell in line with our family. He's been around ever since, and I think he'll always be around. And of course, you know Hoseok. He's been a big part of Kaylen's teenage years," Lea continued as you propped up and looked out into the water, watching the boys smiling and having fun surfing together. 

"That's the thing about Hoseok," Lea said, "He's always reliable. He's honest, and he cares about everything he does. He's warm and bright, always."

The conversation naturally petered off there, but Lea's words were left bouncing around in your mind for the afternoon as you watched him from afar. Lea's words seemed truthful, and they expanded your already growing curiosity for Hoseok. Was it okay to get close to him? Was it okay to just throw yourself openly into a potentially amazing friendship despite the fact you'd have to leave him in a few months? Those lingering questions felt easier to answer after Lea said what she did, and you felt liberated once again. 

Hoseok came back to the shore a little while later. The other boys were still out in the water, and even though you didn't know for sure because she was wearing shades, it seemed like Lea had fallen asleep. 

"How were the waves?" you prompted Hoseok as he approached, dropping his board next to the towels. 

"A little wimpy, but still fun," he chuckled, crouching down to grab a fresh T-shirt from the backpack. "You having fun?"

"Totally. It's beautiful here, and Lea kept me company...I must be boring, though, she fell asleep," you joked. 

"She's always falling asleep. Don't take it personally," he removed the rashguard and pulled on the T-shirt before digging through the bag again. After a few moments of searching, he finally found his sunshades. "You wanna go walk the pier with me?" 

"Sure!" You jumped at the idea before the excitement fell flat. "Can we leave Lea here, though? Won't she get burned if she stays on her back like that for too long?"

"Nah, she'll be fine. Felix should be coming in from the water soon anyway. Those two don't do very well when separated for more than an hour," he grinned. 

"Alright," you couldn't help but smile back at him as you stood and began walking alongside him once again. You felt silly smiling so intensely all the time while around him, but you really couldn't resist. 

"You look happy today, and happiness is a good look on you," Hoseok said, his simple words making you unexplainably even happier. 

"I just feel really content. I'm glad I'm here..." you hesitated for a moment, wondering how far you could push yourself, how brave you could be. "And I'm glad I met you as well."

"I have a feeling this summer is going to be a good one," He said, "I'm glad you're here too."

☼☼☼ 

You walked the pier with Hoseok, naturally shifting in and out of light conversation as the both of you enjoyed the view. As the day dwindled and everyone's energy became more depleted, you felt a sense of sadness. It was such a simple day, but yet it was such a good one. It was one you knew you were going to remember. You were no longer dreading the writing of your paper as the short day trip had left you with much-needed inspiration. Even though had tagged along with already such a tight-knit group of friends, you felt like you belonged, and they treated you like you did. You realized during their play arguing and rough-housing and giggling and fighting over the pizza that was acquired on the way home that you felt light and joyous for the first time in a long time. 

It was all so beautiful as you reflected on the day as the sunlight was fading. As Kai stopped the truck on the side of the road for everyone to observe the sunset, you felt yourself drawing closer to Hoseok. 

You realized how warm he really was, and it was a warmth that you were going to chase for as long as you possibly could.

/////

A/N: I sincerely apologize to all of you who have been patiently waiting for a new chapter. Life has been crazy lately, but don't worry as I have not forgotten about this story or all of you. I love writing this, and I know exactly where the story is headed. Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and has left me nice comments. It means more to me than you know. As my updates may be a bit inconsistent, I just wanted to remind you all that I have already finished a Min Yoongi x Reader called "Bad For Me" that really focuses on soft min yoongi because not enough people portray the lighter aspects of his personality (in my opinion.) Anyway, you might consider adding that to your library in the meantime as it's complete and you won't have to wait for updates. Thanks again you guys. Happy holidays, and stay safe! <3 ~Mattie


	9. a segue

~HOSEOK'S POV~

"So, what's the deal with Y/N?" Kai asked Hoseok later that same night as they unloaded the surfboards from the truck after dropping you off at your house. Lea and Felix had already headed home, and Kaylen was inside. 

"What do you mean?" Hoseok asked, hanging the second to last surfboard up on the rack. 

"I mean what are your intentions with her? Why is she still around?" Kai had an uncomfortable edge to his voice. 

"Whoa there, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, I'm just curious. It's pretty rare that a person has the privilege of infiltrating our group, and I've never seen you date a single girl while being here. So, I wanna know. What makes Y/N so different?" Kai passed the last surfboard over as he spoke. 

"She hasn't infiltrated anything. For the record, it was Lea that invited her in the first place," Hoseok noted as he hung it up. 

"You then proceeded to encourage that invitation," Kai crossed his arms, leaning against the truck. Hoseok let out a sigh, turning around to face his questioning, stubborn friend. 

"What do you want me to say, Kai? I can't explain my feelings to you because I don't understand them myself," Hoseok shrugged, "She's fun to be around. She's new here, and probably lonely. If I'm being honest, I've been kinda lonely too these days...It just seems nice to have a new person around, that's all." 

"Why are you lonely when you have all of us?" Kai was automatically on the defensive, not at all to Hoseok's surprise. His friend was one that was easily jealous and quick to get his feelings hurt. Hoseok usually didn't get frustrated with this difficult quality of Kai's personality as he knew that it was rooted in negative past experiences and self-loathing. But, right now, Kai's attitude was irritating to Hoseok. 

"Just because a person has great friends doesn't mean they don't get lonely sometimes, or crave a different kind of relationship. I love you, Lea, and Kaylen like siblings, but that doesn't mean I don't want a girlfriend or maybe a wife someday, you know? It's just I've noticed myself considering my future more often lately, and I know that I want another person to be apart of it." 

Kai was silent for a moment, pursing his lips as he both digested and considered Hoseok's words. "I understand that."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I get it. I'm sorry if I came on too strong. You know how I can be," Kai stood completely then. "I'm guessing you think that Y/N could be this person that you're yearning so bad for?" 

Hoseok walked alongside Kai as they both headed out the garage, and to the door to enter the house. "I don't know. Our relationship is new, so I don't want to label or expect anything out of her. We may not even connect on a level that deep yet, again, I don't know. I just know that I want to get to know her and see where it goes. So, assuming you no longer have a problem with it, she's going to be around a lot from here on out," Hoseok explained, pulling open the door. 

"I don't have a problem with it. Good luck, my friend. Love is hard, especially when you're young," Kai smirked, stalking off into the house before Hoseok had a chance to say another word. 

☼☼☼ 

~YOUR POV~

The following morning, you were busy writing up the final draft of your first paper, with only a few hours to spare before the required deadline to submit it to your professor. The bickering sisters were fortunately not at home by some miracle, and Mia was quietly eating an acai bowl in the living room while also working on the same assignment. The atmosphere in the house was completely peaceful for once, and you were definitely feeling happy. The positive feelings and sunshine vibes from the night before had carried over to the morning, and you had an extra skip in your step. 

The thought that Hoseok, his inviting group of friends, and an island full of exciting opportunity were all in your reach for the next few months excited you. After all, your goal coming here was to be crying as you left because you loved the experience so much. Barely a week into your stay, and you had already found people you were curious about. You were grateful for the accident on the beach that day, for, without it, you'd still be feeling quite alone. 

"Submitted!" You exclaimed from the kitchen bar, slamming your laptop shut and throwing your hands up in a proclamation of sweet victory. "I'm a free woman until Wednesday!" 

"Lucky, I still have like 4 pages to go," Mia sulked from the couch, "And we have another assignment due on Wednesday?!" She looked saddened by the news.

"Don't worry, it's only a small reflection piece, not a full essay that's required. Cut yourself a break, you got here a bit late. You'll catch up," you reassured her, bringing over a fresh cup of coffee to lift her spirits. 

"Thanks, Y/N," she smiled, accepting the coffee before turning her eyes back to the daunting task that resided on her computer screen. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," you chuckled, heading into your room. It was only around eleven in the morning, and you had no plans for the rest of the day. It was a good feeling to have any looming responsibilities left to take care of, but it was also a bit intimidating. You had a couple of days of free time, and you were unsure of how to spend it; there were just so many possibilities, it was almost overwhelming! 

You plopped down on your bed, content with the thought of giving yourself a few minutes to sit on your phone and procrastinate on deciding what to do with your time. You had a few messages from your family that you responded to, you checked your email, and as a last resort to add some extra time to your procrastination, you checked Facebook. 

It was almost like a God-Send as you were about to lock your phone and get up, it was suddenly ringing, Hoseok's name lighting up the screen. Your chest lept with excitement as you quickly accepted the call. 

"Y/N~" He called out, sounding cheerful as usual. 

"Hoseok~" You mimicked his happy sounding tone, smiling like an idiot as you did so. 

"What are you doing right now?" 

"Sitting and trying to come up with a not lame way to spend my day," you answered honestly, secretly hoping he would propose something fun to do. 

"No homework today?"

"Nope, I got it all done this morning."

"Good job for getting it finished early on. That's very responsible of you," he giggled a bit on the other end of the line, causing your smile to spread even larger. You were glad you were talking to him on the phone because if he were beside you now, he'd be able to see how much you were blushing. 

"What are you doing today?" you asked, shifting your cell phone to your other ear. 

"I'm working," he pouted, and you felt your heart sink. You were disappointed that he wasn't available to spend the day with. 

"Why are you on the phone with me if you're working?" you teased him to mask the sadness you were feeling. 

"No one's in the shop right now. Slow morning," he yawned, "Do you wanna come see me? I mean, assuming you have nothing better to do?"

"Come see you at work?"

"Yeah, you know that little strip of stores on the side of the road? Over in Koloa?" 

"The one you pass on the way into Poipu?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I work at the Ukelele shop. Come hang out if you want, and we can check out the other shops when my shift ends at 2," he offered, and the previous sadness you had felt was immediately overwhelmed with excitement again. 

"Really? You wouldn't mind me coming?" 

"Not at all. I'd love if you spend some time with me," his answer was pure and honest, and you were all smiles once again. 

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit, then."

"See you then. Be careful on your way over, alright? Run from anyone carrying a surfboard, you don't need another gash in your head," he teased. 

"Oh, shut up Hoseok. I'll see you soon," you bit your lip to calm down your huge smiles as it was starting to make your cheeks hurt. 

"Bye, Y/N," he hummed and hung up the phone. 

/////

A/N: Some chapters may end up being shorter than what you all are used to. I've decided to kind of split up what would normally be a longer chapter (2,000-3,000 words) so that I can push out updates a little more often. I hope you guys understand this! Thanks again for all of your support, you all are lovely <3 ~Mattie


	10. your beautiful life

~HOSEOK'S POV~

He drummed his fingers out the check out counter, eyes trained on the large windows, anxiously waiting for your arrival. He'd been sitting and watching random people walk by for the past hour since he got off the phone with you. He knew that walking from your place in Poipu all the way to the Koloa shopping center would probably take a while, but he couldn't stop anticipating your arrival. He was kicking himself for not offering to come pick you up instead, but now, it was already too late.

His earlier conversation with Kai bounced around in his mind as he waited, forcing him to reconsider everything the slightly older boy had said to him. Kai's initial hesitation of you was bothersome to Hoseok and was continually weighing on his mind. Kai claimed to understand Hoseok's craving for a deeper relationship by the time that conversation was over, but Hoseok wasn't entirely convinced he was telling the truth.

Hoseok was starting to like you, and his friend's discouraging attitude was troublesome.

But then all the sudden you were there in front of the shop, immediately pulling Hoseok out of his deep and swirling thoughts. He watched as you glanced up at the sign, probably making sure that you had the correct store. He was smiling the instant the door swung open, ecstatic to be greeted by an equally enthusiastic facial expression from you. He was so glad you actually came, and that you seemed genuinely excited to be there. He could only hope his relationship longings weren't completely one-sided.

"Welcome to Koloa Ukes," he greeted you, his heart practically exploding with pure happiness. Hoseok smiled a lot anyway, it was just apart of his personality. His friends and family had always complimented him on his dimples and sweet smile. But when he was with you, he found himself smiling even more often than he did before, which strangely seemed like it should've been impossible. He felt too happy.

You looked cute as you strode into the store, your hair casually falling around your shoulders and framing your face in an accidentally perfect manner. He couldn't help but stare. And smile more.

"Thank you," you grinned in response, walking to the counter to stand in front of him. "Nice uniform," You nodded at his sun-faded blue T-shirt that read "Koloa Ukes aren't Flukes!"

"One of the requirements of this job is to wear every bad pin that Alec plasters on a shirt," Hoseok explained, enjoying watching as your face scrunched up from all the giggles.

"Alec?"

"Oh, it's the owner's son. He's a nice guy, but I swear he comes up with the cheesiest T-shirt designs," Hoseok moved out from behind the check-out counter, you following him as he walked toward the corner of the store. "Do you play the ukelele?"

"I wish I could, but I'm not the most musically inclined," you sighed, eyes traveling down the wall filled with ukeleles in every print and color imaginable. Even for Hoseok, who worked at the store several times a week, was often impressed by the varying selections of ukes the store had to offer.

"I'll have to teach you to play sometime then," he murmured casually.

"I would like that."

He smiled at your simple response, biting his lip to keep himself from full-on grinning. He was being too obvious about how happy you made him, and it was too early to be that explicit about his feelings considering Hoseok didn't quite understand them himself. Much like Kai, Hoseok didn't know why he felt so drawn to you. He just knew that he was undeniably attracted and startlingly already so comfortable around you. The fact that you would be leaving the island in a short few months escaped his mind, and he planned on throwing himself into his emotions and letting them recklessly guide him. If there was pain to be dealt with from that decision, he would deal with it later.

"Do you get lonely working here by yourself?" You prompted, still wandering around and observing all the little details to be found in the small store.

"Sometimes," he was honest, because he wasn't scared of transparency. Especially with you.

"I'm sure that gets frustrating sometimes," you sounded sympathetic.

"It does, but I try to stay positive about it all. I'm grateful to have a consistent job," he shrugged, slowly trailing behind you as you made your way around.

"I like that about you."

"What?"

"That you're always looking for the bright side in everything." You picked up a small ceramic turtle that was sitting on the checkout counter, examining it as you spoke.

"There's so much negativity in the world, and I don't want to be a person that adds to that," he explained, "It's too easy to drown in negative feelings and scary things. It's better to not focus on them."

"That makes sense... I wish I was more like that..." You set the turtle down, turning to face Hoseok.

"I wasn't born this way; it takes practice. I used to be really negative until I realized how badly it can affect me." he spoke softly, his eyes meeting yours again. He felt a strange feeling in his chest. He wanted to touch you, to take your hand as he spoke. He resisted the urge, though.

"I like that about you, too."

"What?"

"That you care enough to make changes that will benefit you and those around you. I like that a lot."

☼☼☼ 

~YOUR POV~

Hoseok's boss called and let him off an hour early since the traffic in the store was slow anyway.

"You hungry?" he asked, grabbing his backpack from behind the counter and sliding it over his shoulder.

"I could definitely eat," you agreed, excited that Fun Time with Hoseok wasn't over just yet.

There was a pizza place two stores down, and the smell alone nearly had your mouth watering.

"Best pizza in Koloa," Hoseok smirked, opening the door and holding it for you to walk in.

The shop wasn't very crowded as it was just after lunch rush hour, fortunately for you and Hoseok's growling stomachs. You sat across from each other at a table toward the back after ordering a pizza with no pineapples, per your request.

"I can't believe you don't like pineapple on pizza," Hoseok teased, stirring some Splenda into the iced tea that he ordered.

"I can't believe you like sweet tea," you teased him right back, sticking your tongue out at him.

"C'mon what's wrong with sweet tea?" he removed the spoon he was stirring with and set it down on the table.

"It's such a Southern staple, I'm surprised you like it, that's all."

"Fair enough, but have you ever had a good, cold glass of it?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Not really," you admitted. Hoseok's jaw practically dropped open. He pushed his glass of tea over to you.

"Drink it. I'll order another one," he insisted, his eyes sparkling with excitement that you were trying something new.

You couldn't argue with those eyes so you complied, taking a drink. He eyed you as you did so, waiting for your verdict.

"Alright, I give up. It's good."

"Ha! I told you so," he grinned, sending a rush of heat to your cheeks and the back of your neck. You knew for sure you were turning red, but like a gentleman, Hoseok didn't comment on the blush to save you from further embarrassment. You appreciated that.

The pizza was brought out a few moments later, warm and delicious. You cheered in excitement, your stomach growling at the sight as you reached for a piece.

"You're so cute," Hoseok gushed, pulling a piece off the pan.

"What?" you mumbled through a mouth-full, his words catching you off guard.

"You heard me," he replied with slight sass and a sly smile before beginning to eat as well.

To that, you had no decent response that wouldn't result in even more embarrassment, so you just continued to eat your pizza.

"Tell me about you," Hoseok said in between bites, gracefully transitioning the subject.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything."

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that," you chuckled.

"I mean it, though. Tell me whatever you want. I want to know it all."

And so as the two of you devoured an entire extra-large pizza in an unreasonably short amount of time, you gave Hoseok some random facts about yourself. You told him your favorites movies and books. You told him your favorite childhood memory. You told him about your family, and carefully and vividly described everyone in it. Hoseok was all ears the whole time, interested in everything you had to say, and actively asking follow-up questions as well.

He insisted on paying for the meal even though you had brought your wallet along. He said he wanted to treat you today, and you could pay for the next meal shared together if you wanted. To that, you agreed because it seemed fair.

"What's your biggest fear?" you asked him once the walk home begun. You walked close enough to him that your shoulder would brush his every once in a while. You wished you could hold his hand. 

"My biggest fear?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm," he considered the question for a few moments, grabbing your wrist and protectively pulling you to the other side of him. "I don't want you walking next to the highway," he explained, leaving you slightly flustered. 

"I guess my biggest fear is being helpless," he finally answered another few moments later. He seemed like he had put genuine thought into his answer. 

"What do you mean exactly?"

"I fear being in a bad situation and not being able to do anything about. Literally, I'm afraid of being helpless, in any measure," he looked forward as he walked, glancing at you occasionally. "What's yours?"

"Floating through life without accomplishing anything meaningful...Whether it's a job, or a relationship...Just, not experiencing anything deeper than surface level kind of happiness, I guess," you would've never admitted that truth to anyone else so easily. You had barely even admitted that truth to yourself prior to the conversation with Hoseok. Something about him compelled you to be honest, though. 

"I think we all experience that kind of fear in some form or another," Hoseok comforted you with those words, "But you shouldn't worry about that. You're already making meaningful impacts on the world around you."

"Thanks, Hoseok." 

The conversation was light and random the rest of the way home and you were acutely aware of every time Hoseok's arm would brush against yours. You didn't want to say goodbye when you saw the driveway of the shared house, but you were also feeling shy about asking him if he wanted to continue hanging out. You settled for an indirect medium. 

"What are you up to for the rest of the day?" you asked, purposely walking about slower after turning onto your street, nearly at the driveway. 

"I'll probably just go home and chill for a bit. I don't feel like surfing today, and that's where the rest of the gang is," Hoseok said. 

You weren't sure where the courage came from, but it appeared suddenly, and you ran with it. "Do you wanna come inside then? See the house? Meet the roomies? Help me and Mia make some ice cream?" 

He grinned, "I'd love to."

You grinned back, not hiding your smile for a single second. 

You were explicitly happy, and you wanted him to know that it was because of him.


	11. the girl

~Hoseok's POV~

He waited patiently as you unlocked the door to the house, his heartbeat thudding with excitement at the notion that he would be spending the rest of his day with you, and at the fact that you were the one who'd taken the initiative to invite him inside. He, too, hadn't wanted the time together to be finished just yet, but he was shy about asking for an extension.

He followed you into the house, noticing that all the lights were turned off.

"That's weird, Mia said she'd be home all day," you seemed confused, and he continued to follow as you walked down the hall into the kitchen. A bright neon yellow sticky note was stuck to the fridge. You pulled it off, reading it. "She went running errands. Doesn't seem like the others are home either," you shrugged, crumpling up the note and throwing it into the nearby trashcan. "Too bad, I wanted you to meet her."

"I take it she's easier to get along with than the others?"

"Oh definitely," you opened one of the cabinets, taking out two glasses. "I mean it's not like we've shared our life stories with each other yet, but she seems really genuine from what I can tell. I hope we'll get closer, so we can actually go do things together."

"The other girls still giving you a hard time?"

You moved over to the fridge now, "You want Coke or Sprite?"

"Sprite."

You grabbed the bottle from the fridge then returned to the kitchen island. "I mostly try to stay out of Paige and Emma's way. We've barely had a conversation since the first day."

"That must be awkward to not get along with half the people living in your house...I'm sorry."

"It's not like we're fighting all the time, though. We just kinda go our own ways and try not to bother each other. If we aren't fighting, it's not so bad," you pushed a full glass of Sprite in Hoseok's direction. "I also try not to spend a whole lot of time at home."

"Oh, so you're using me to get away from the scary sisters?" he chuckled.

"The sisters are a bit scary, but no, that's not why I've been spending an absurd amount of time with you lately." You put the lid back on the bottle, making sure it was on tight before taking it back to the fridge.

"If you aren't hanging out with me to avoid the scary sisters, then what's the real reason you're spending an 'absurd' amount of time with me?" he challenged you, wondering how honest your answer would be.

"I like spending time with you," your answer was more straightforward than Hoseok had expected, leaving him with a slight tinge of red on his cheeks. He felt the warmth in his face suddenly appear, and he could only hope that you weren't paying enough attention to notice.

"And why's that?" he couldn't believe he was still pushing the subject considering he was already a blushing mess. But, he was so interested he couldn't help but ask.

"You're warm," you said, taking a sip of your Sprite. He thought you were referring to the blush on his cheeks, which made him blush even more.

"Huh?"

"Your personality. It's warm."

"Oh."

"Your outlook on life is something I have respect for. You're honest.... Like I said before, you're just warm. I like that."

He was at a standstill, simply looking into your eyes because he didn't know what to say. There were a few quiet moments before he finally spoke up, "You're being awfully honest today."

"Something about you makes me wanna tell the truth."

You managed to leave him wordless yet again, and he just kept standing there, looking at you.

He wanted to kiss you.

The urge came out of nowhere, and once it appeared it was undeniable and overwhelming. He gulped slightly, subtly putting another step of distance between himself and you. It was too soon, and he knew that.

But, boy, he wanted to kiss you.

☼☼☼

You both had concluded that after walking all the way from Koloa back to Poipu, exhaustion was something that could no longer be ignored. And that's how he ended up lazing around on the couch next to you for the rest of the late afternoon and evening, mindlessly watching television. His mind wasn't focused on the shows, but rather he was thinking about you, Kaylen's earlier comments, and the future. He was aware of how close you were sitting next to him, which pushed him into a spiraling battle within his conscious.

Should I really be here right now?

Should I really be pursuing a relationship that is bound to end?

Shouldn't I get out of this before I come too attached, or too interested?

Aren't we both just going to hurt each other in the end?

They were all questions that were valid, but they were all questions that he didn't want to have to answer. He felt a bit ridiculous about getting that far ahead of himself; he'd only known you for a few weeks. He knew that he was likely overthinking the little details far too much and that he was creating unnecessary stress for himself to carry around.

But, he couldn't help it. Hoseok had never been in love before. In fact, he really hadn't ever liked someone before. Not seriously, anyway. So, the feelings rising in his chest were both scary and unfamiliar, driving him to overthink in a way that wasn't common within his mind.

"Are you falling asleep?" you poked his arm, suddenly jolting him out of his cerebral conflict.

"I'm not," he poked you back.

"Then what show are we watching right now? Don't look at the screen," you put your hands in front of his eyes, and he knew he had been caught. He had absolutely no idea what show was playing on the television. He'd been too deep inside of his own head to care what was happening on the screen.

"You got me. I have no idea," he chuckled as you pulled your hands away from him.

"Am I that boring?" you teased, "Falling asleep right beside me?"

"You aren't boring at all. I wasn't sleeping, either...I was just thinking a lot," he back peddled on his previous confession to a certain degree, simply because he didn't want you to think that he really was bored of being with you.

"What were you thinking about?" you asked, turning the volume down slightly on the TV, eyes meeting his eyes in a more direct way. He had no idea what to say, but he knew he couldn't be honest.

"Just...you know...life and relationships, and stuff." He settled for a half-truth.

"Is something bothering you?"

"No, I mean I'm not exactly bothered. I'm just considering a lot of things, that's all," He settled for another half-truth.

"It's easy to get caught up in stuff like that. I understand," you settled back down into the couch, your eyes moving back to the television.

"Yeah, exactly," he muttered.

Another silence fell over the room, and back into his own mind, Hoseok went.

☼☼☼

He woke to the sound of a door slamming. He never meant to fall asleep, and he couldn't recall the time in which he started to drift off. You were leaning against his shoulder, seeming also asleep. He was disoriented and groggy, but the sight and feeling of you peaceful sleeping so close to him sent a jolt of affection for you through him. All of that peace was interrupted by two bickering voices that gradually came closer to the living room.

"I can't believe you spent the last of our monthly allowance on those ugly flip-flops! Dad is gonna be so mad!"

"They are NOT ugly! And you're the one that dropped over a hundred on a pair of headphones!"

"They have space age technology!"

"No, they don't!"

The voices came to a halt as the lights in the room were flicked on and the two girls' eyes finally landed on the nappy-accidental-cuddle session that was taking place on their couch.

"Who are you?" the taller girl asked, her eyebrows furrowing in a rather disapproving manner. You shifted beside him, waking up at all the noise.

"I'm a friend of Y/N's," he said because he didn't know what else to say. The whole situation was incredibly awkward, and you were still half asleep.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," you mumbled, rubbing your eyes gently, trying to wake up.

"Y/N, you should ask before you bring random guys over to sleep on our couch. This isn't just your house, you know," the other girl was speaking now, and Hoseok felt himself growing annoyed at their attitudes.

"Paige and Emma?" Hoseok asked you, and you turned to face them.

"This isn't just your house, either. I don't need permission to have friends over," you stood your ground, rising from your spot beside Hoseok.

"Don't you think it's inappropriate to have a guy here without even telling us first?"

"No, quite frankly, I don't think it's inappropriate. And you two were gone all day anyway." You crossed your arms. Hoseok was starting to feel uneasy about the situation, feeling bad for causing what was going to be an obvious rift between you and your already difficult housemates. He stood as well.

"I'll just leave. No reason to fight about this," he said as politely as he could manage despite the fact he felt the other girls were being a bit ridiculous. It just wasn't in Hoseok's nature to be mean, even when he felt like someone deserved a bit of harsh treatment.

"No, this is stupid. We were just watching TV, and it wasn't like we were disrupting anything you two were up to. You both just love drama, that's all this is about."

It was interesting for Hoseok to see this side of you come out, one that wasn't afraid to stand up to people or put them in their place. He liked what he was seeing.

"Whatever then," one of the girls shrugged, still clearly irritated but not bothering to argue back any further. She stalked off into her room without another word. The other sister was left standing there alone, almost looking uncomfortable. Perhaps the two couldn't function well without one another. Then again, it seemed like all they did was fight. Hoseok didn't understand women.

"We both overreacted. Don't you dare tell Paige I admitted that, though. She'd be pissed if she thought I was taking her side," Emma said in a hushed tone, giving off an awkward and apologetic smile before returning to her room as well.

"Yikes, they are scary," Hoseok chuckled, "You don't call them the scary sisters for nothing."

"Sorry about that, I'm sure that was uncomfortable for you," you sighed, grabbing the remote and turning the television off.

"It's okay. I'm sorry if I just made things worse between you and them."

"You didn't, that's just how they are," you glanced down at your phone, "Woah it's nearly nine. No wonder I'm starving."

Hoseok stretched, spitting out his words before he had a chance to rethink or regret them, "You down for some convenience store ramen?"

You smiled. "You bet I am."


	12. late night

~YOUR POV~

The following two weeks were filled up with time spent with Hoseok that you couldn't describe in any other way than intense. Every single day was spent beside him. Whether he was at your house, you were at his house or the Ukulele shop, you were both constantly alongside one another.

You began to easily fall in line with his life and schedule, your schoolwork unbelievably easy to complete thanks to your constant access to native Hawaiians. Lea was more than happy to answer your copious amounts of questions, and even Kai was helpful from time to time despite the fact he was still a bit standoffish toward you.

It was hard to believe it was already early July. It was hard to believe an entire month of your stay was already gone. Time was moving too fast, and in a way that bothered you. But, you were constantly having so much fun that the only time you had to worry about time itself was in the late hours of the night before you fell asleep. As you would replay the beautiful moments of the day in your mind, the fear of dwindling time would somehow always arise. The fear was difficult to push away.

"Where's Hoseok at tonight?" That was Mia. She was propped up on the couch eating a spoon of peanut butter while you were washing up the dishes.

"He's stuck helping to repaint the inside of the Ukulele shop," you couldn't but sigh a bit as the words left your mouth.

"Miss him already?" Mia chuckled.

"Is it bad that I do?" You turned off the water and reached for a hand towel to dry your hands.

"No, not necessarily. I mean, are you guys an item yet or what?"

"No...we're not together."

"But you want to be?"

"What's with all the questions?" you let out an exasperated laugh, going to sit down beside Mia on the couch.

"I don't know. He's just been around a lot lately, and your smiles become brighter than the sun whenever he's here. Not to mention, you start moping around once he's not here...Am I overreading into this?"

You hesitated slightly at first. Verbally expressing your developing feelings for Hoseok would make them real. If they were real, you'd have to deal with them.

"You're not overreading it all..."

Mia giggled excitedly, "I knew it. Do you have plans with him tomorrow for fourth of July?"

"He actually hasn't said anything about it, so I'm not sure. We'll all probably just go to the beach like usual. You should come with us, whatever we do. Maybe a pretty girl like you will make Kai start being a little less uptight."

"Is he cute?" Mia had met everyone in the group at some point or another except for Kai. He was notoriously unaccepting and anti-social.

"He's pretty cute."

"I wouldn't mind tagging along then," she smirked, "I've yet to meet any cute single boys while I've been here." 

The front door opened then, and Emma shuffled inside, looking exhausted. "Hey, guys." 

Over the past few weeks, Emma had been rather pleasant when she wasn't in the presence of her sister. You and Mia were actually starting to become friends with her. 

"What's up?" Mia asked through a mouthful of peanut butter. 

"Just been a long day doing field research," Emma dropped her bag on the kitchen counter before joining you and Mia in the living room. "Where's Paige?"

"I don't know; I haven't seen her at all today," you shrugged. 

"Same here," Mia agreed. 

"Well, whatever. I'm tired of micro-managing her anyway," Emma yawned, "I'm gonna go to bed."

"Good night," you and Mia said in unison, watching as Emma dragged her bag tiredly into her bedroom. 

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep too. Evenings are boring without Hoseok," you laughed, leaving Mia smiling and rolling her eyes. 

"Okay, Ms. Lovesick."

☼☼☼ 

The sound of light tapping on your window woke you from a shallow sleep. You groaned in annoyance at the noise, one eye popping open to check the time on your phone. 

11:34

You rubbed your eyes and heard the tapping yet again, eliciting even more annoyance and confusion from you. You reached to turn on your bedside lamp, and then reluctantly left the warmth of your bed to go to the window. Much to your surprise, it was Hoseok, Felix, and Lea all standing outside. You were suddenly glad you had chosen to wear your long pineapple pajamas to bed instead of just a t-shirt like you normally did because this situation could've been far more awkward. 

Confused at the group's sudden and seemingly unplanned late night appearance, you opened the window and lifted the shade. "What are you guys doing here?" you asked, feeling groggy. If they were about to whisk you away on some nighttime adventure, you were going to need a large coffee first. 

"We have a unique way of celebrating Independence Day," Felix started. 

"Get dressed and come outside," Hoseok smiled, "We're going to Kai's private beach and having a fireworks party."

"Right now?"

"At midnight."

"And you guys didn't think to warn me of this ahead of time?" you yawned again. 

"Warning you would've ruined the fun," Felix grinned. 

"C'mon, go get dressed! We'll wait," Lea said excitedly, grinning just as much as Felix was. 

"Alright, alright. I'll be out in a minute." You shut the window, and drew the curtains, rushing to get dressed before running out into the living room where Mia was still awake, watching a movie. 

"I thought you went to bed?"

"I did, but the gang just showed up to whisk me off into some midnight Independence Day celebration."

"They really are a crazy bunch."

☼☼☼

~HOSEOK'S POV~

His face grew into a smile the moment you appeared from behind your front door, Mia trailing close behind you. 

"Is it cool if Mia tags along?" you asked as she closed and locked the front door behind the two of you. 

"Absolutely," Hoseok nodded, smiling even more as you came close to him, giving him a modest hug of greeting. "You awake now?"

"I was pretty annoyed at first, but I can't lie, I'm excited now," you admitted, and he felt an urge to touch you again; hold your hand, or thread his fingers through your hair. He shook the thoughts away, reminding himself that three other people were standing there, watching. He changed the subject, urging everyone to get going back to his house to pick up Kai and Kaylen. 

He sat in the bed of the truck next to you like he had done many times at this point. But, every time he sat beside you like that, it reminded him of the first trip he had taken with you, and it filled him up with simple admiration for you. He was fighting such a large urge, to be honest with you, and to be intimate with you. He settled for casually putting his arm around you, something he had done playfully before, something you didn't seem to think much of. The gravity and strength of his feelings scared him. 

"It's so nice outside," you broke the silence, leaning into him ever-so-slightly. He gulped. 

"Yeah, we're lucky. Last year when we did this, it started raining halfway through our firework show."

"We're going to set off fireworks in the middle of the night? There's not some kind of rule against that?"

"We're going to a Kai's family's privately-owned beach. We can do whatever we want there," he reminded you gently, the anticipation of how much time he would get to spend with you tonight sending an excited yet nervous shock through him. 

The truck pulled into the driveway then, and Kaylen and Kai were already waiting in the driveway, holding the boxes of fireworks. After quickly stowing them in the truck bed, they climbed into the backseat, Kai, fortunately, ending up sitting right next to Mia. 

"I wish I could hear what they're saying," you looked through the window into the backseat. "I brought her along in hopes she'd soften him up."

Hoseok chuckled, "That's a smart plan, but Kai is one closed-off fellow. I'll literally carve Mia an award made from walking tree wood if she's able to crack open his nice side."

"I'm gonna hold you to that promise."

"Fair enough." 

The drive to the beach was only 10 minutes, and it was only ten minutes before they all arrived. Kai and Felix were quick to jump out of the truck, running to get the bonfire going. 

"They seem excited," you noted. 

"It's their favorite night of the year," he glanced over at you, "It's my favorite night, too."

☼☼☼ 

~YOUR POV~

"Let's go for a walk," Hoseok proposed a little while later. Kai and Kaylen and Mia were busy sorting through the large box of fireworks that they had brought from home. Lea and Felix were unsurprisingly cuddling by the bonfire without a single care in the world. Hoseok was standing beside where you were favoring the water by the light of the fortunately full moon. 

"Sure," you agreed, happy and excited by the thought of a nighttime beach walk with Hoseok. If you were being truly honest, you'd been feeling quite attached to him these days. You felt like you were practically always making heart eyes at him. The thing about being beside Hoseok, though, was that he was always a comfortable presence. Even though you felt your heart yearning for a deeper relationship, you didn't feel flustered around him. 

While walking alongside him, you wanted to reach for his hand. You kept your arm hanging by your side, almost as a subtle invitation to let Hoseok know that it was okay to reach for you if he wanted to. 

"Are you having fun?" he murmured, his tone sounding light as usual, but there was an unknown edge to it. He almost sounded as if he was trying to mask nervousness. 

"Of course. I love spending time with you," you answered before you had a chance to thoroughly think about how your response may come off. You didn't take back or correct the words that had managed to escape your lips, though, because those words were honest. 

Hoseok stopped walking then. The two of you hadn't made it incredibly far down the beach, but the others were nearly out of sight. 

"Y/N, I've been thinking a lot lately...I've been weighing the pros and cons of both confessing my feelings and suffocating them...But, I'm done thinking about it, and I'm done debating on what the best choice is to make. I just wanna be honest, because throttling my true emotions is not something I handle well..." he trailed off for a moment, perhaps to gather his courage. 

"Then be honest," your murmured. He looked up at you again, making eye contact that felt quite intense compared to the norm. 

"I like you, Y/N, and not in a friendly way," he bit his lip, anticipating your response. You were so happy to hear his simple words of confession that you felt like your breath had been nearly knocked out of your body. 

"Hoseok," you smiled at him, warmth overcoming you. "I feel the exact same way."

He almost seemed surprised by your reply. "Really?"

You nodded to confirm. "Really."

"I wanna kiss you..." he began, but there was a hint of uncertainty lining his voice now. 

"Then kiss me."

"But...I don't know that this is fair for us to do this."

"What do you mean?"

"Since...Since you're going to leave at the end of the summer?" 

The overwhelming reality hit you like a ton of bricks. "But don't you think it's more unfair to ignore how we feel?"

"I just don't wanna hurt you..." he took a step closer to you. 

"You aren't gonna hurt me."

He gently brought a hand to your face then. His fingers were soft against your cheek, and he began to lean closer. Hoseok had no idea that he was about to be your very first adult kiss You'd been kissed one another time in junior high, but that hardly counted. This one, however, was real. 

His lips met yours just a few short moments later. They were quite like you had expected; gentle and coated in SPF 50 chapstick made to prevent sunburns. Why he was wearing this late at night was a mystery to you. 

You leaned into the kiss then, strikingly already very comfortable with being intimate with him. His arms were around you, holding you close. Everything about him was warm and inviting, which didn't surprise you in the slightest. It had only been 6 weeks, but he felt like home.


	13. staying up

~Hoseok’s POV~

He didn’t pull away from you until he heard fireworks popping in the distance, loud enough that their sound couldn’t be drowned out by the midnight tidal waves. He was still holding you close, but he moved away from your lips, allowing you both to look up at the colors exploding in the sky at a distance.

“They’re prettier than I remember,” you said quietly, your hands wrapped snugly around his middle.

“The fireworks?” A soft breeze blew through, sending small shivers up your arms. He held you a little closer, concerned that you might be cold.

“It’s been years since I’ve seen any. They’re prettier than I remember them being.” Yet despite the clear admiration in your voice, you stopped looking at the sky and tucked your face back down into Hoseok’s neck.

“Are you cold?” All he wanted was for you to be comfortable.

“Yeah, but you’re warm. Like always,” your words came out soft and quiet. So much so that Hoseok strained to hear them all. He was having trouble comprehending much anyway. He was too wrapped up in pleasant shock that you were this close to him, and that you wanted to be this close to him. The confession of his feelings tonight hadn’t exactly been planned, but that hadn’t stopped him from constantly wondering over the past few weeks what your reaction to the confession might be.

It was better than he could’ve ever hoped for.

He stood there like that with you for quite a while longer, until the fireworks completely ceased.

“Should we go back to the others now?” you shifted away from him, seeming reluctant about doing so.

“Probably…I don’t really want to, though.”

“Me either.”

“How come you don’t want to?” he gently threaded his fingers through the ends of your hair. It was soft.

“I don’t know…I’m not ready to let this moment pass yet, I guess,” you easily shifted back against him. Your arms tightened around his waist and your face pressed against his chest. “What are we gonna tell the others?”

“The truth.”

“And what exactly is the truth?”

He pulled away, wanting to see your face. “The truth is that I care about you, I want you around, and I want you to be mine. That’s the truth.”

“You’re making me blush,” you laughed, “But that’s my truth, too.”

“Nothing to hide from the others, then.”

You stood briefly on your tip-toes, pressing a quick kiss to his mouth before retreating, settling for holding his hand. “Let’s go.”

☼☼☼

~YOUR POV~

Upon returning to where the others were hanging out, you and Hoseok saw something that was completely and utterly surprising to you both.

“You see them too, right?” he asked, stopping his tread, stopping you too because you were still holding his hand. You looked in the direction where his eyes were glued, your jaw practically dropping. Mia and Kai were off by the shore together, standing alone. Even at a distance, with no context of the type of conversation they were having, it was surprising.

“Well, it’s not Lea and Felix because Lea is alone over there by the bonfire,” you said, pointing in Lea’s direction with your free hand.

“My mind is actually blown right now.”

“Mine, too.” The thought that Kai was being that friendly with someone he just met was incredibly foreign to you and Hoseok both.

“Wasn’t this your plan all along? To get Mia to soften Kai up?” Hoseok laughed, beginning to walk toward the bonfire and pulling you along with him.

“Yeah, that was the plan, but I never expected it to actually work.”

“Woah, what’s happening here?!” Lea exclaimed upon your approach to the fire. She stood, proceeding to quickly bridge the gap between herself and you and Hoseok. “Are you guys holding hands?!” She gushed excitedly, impatiently waiting for an explanation.

“Yes, we’re holding hands. Use your eyes, Lea,” Hoseok teased.

“No need to be so sassy,” you scolded him, “We’re somewhat of an item now,” you gave her the explanation she was obviously desperate for.

“What do you mean ‘somewhat of an item’?” Hoseok let go of your hand, snaking his arm around your waist to pull you close to him instead. “You’re my girlfriend now, and I’m your boyfriend. We are an item.”

You weren’t prepared for him to be so blatant, and his words caused you to blush so much that you couldn’t even muster a decent response.

“This is SO cute!” Lea cooed, “I’m so happy for you two! Now we just need to get Kai a girl!”

“I think he might already be finding a girl for himself,” Hoseok smirked, looking back over at where Mia and Kai were still by the water.

“You might be right. He’s been awfully interested in her tonight,” Lea said, sitting back down.

“How do you mean?” you tugged on Hoseok’s sleeve, wanting to sit down next to the bonfire with him. You were cold.

You sat down beside Lea and Hoseok followed.

“I’ve literally never seen him act this way around a girl. He’s been the opposite of his usual self. Super talkative and attentive to her. He must think she’s hot,” Lea explained, “Kaylen and Felix left to go get more fireworks out of the garage, and Kai asked her if she wanted to go take pictures of the moon. They’ve been standing like that for at least fifteen minutes.”

“I can’t believe it,” Hoseok laughed, “I mean, I’m happy for him. But I can’t believe it. He’s just usually so cold.”

“I know, it’s weird. Good thinking bringing her along tonight,” Lea nodded at you.

“I figured it was worth a shot,” you shrugged, “I’ll bring her along more often.”

Felix and Kaylen walked up a moment later, both carrying more boxes of what you presumed to be fireworks. 

"Where did you two run off to?" Felix smirked, setting the box down. 

"We were making out down the beach," Hoseok replied, and you nearly choked. 

"Guys, I'm standing here!" Kaylen complained, "I don't wanna hear about that." He faked a gag. 

"Go run over there and tell Kai to come help you with the fireworks then," Hoseok stuck his tongue out at Kaylen, and he rolled his eyes before heading toward Kai and Mia. 

"So, I was driving back over here, I had a thought," Felix sat down beside Lea, lazily draping his arm over her shoulder. In the light of the flickering flames, you were able to admire Felix's simple beauty. He and Lea really did look good together. 

"A thought about what?" Lea asked. 

"I think we should go hike the Na Pali coast. We'll get permits, spend the night in Kalalau Valley. It'll be great! Lea and I have never done the full 11 miles, and you haven't either, Hoseok. Y/N obviously hasn't done any of it, and she's really missing out," Felix's whole face was lit up with excitement. 

"It's actually not a bad idea," Lea agreed, "I'm down to go if you guys are. We'll take Mia and Kai too if they're up for it."

"What do you think about this?" Hoseok turned to you, "It's okay if you want to say no. Or if you want to think about it. It's not an easy hike, but from what I've seen, it really is worth it. We'd be gone a couple of days."

"I mean, is it safe?" you were interested in exploring more of the island, especially with the rest of the group. But, you couldn't ignore some of the doubt and fear that crept into your mind. You'd never done anything like this. 

"Relatively." Felix grinned. 

"Don't freak her out for no reason," Lea rolled her eyes at him, "It's pretty safe. We'll bring all the right supplies, and if one of us gets hurt, it's really not the end of the world since we'll all be in a big group."

"She's right. There'd be six of us together the whole time. Seven if we bring Kaylen," Hoseok reassured you.

"Alright, I'm down to go. But you guys have to make sure Mia and I are prepared, like tell us what to bring and stuff," you said, feeling both genuine excitement and nervousness about the journey that was to come. 

"Perfect. When do you guys want to go?" Felix asked. 

"Next week? Is that far enough out for us to get the permits to camp?" Hoseok said. 

"I'm not sure. I'll ask a buddy of mine about that tomorrow."

"Do you guys want to set off more fireworks or no?" That was Kai who was suddenly at the bonfire alongside Kaylen and Mia. 

"Sure," everyone mutually agreed to set off another box worth of fireworks. 

"Do you and Mia wanna do the Na Pali coast hike?" Hoseok asked. 

"Like to the beach? The full 11 miles?"

"Yup."

"I'll do it. What do you think?" you swore you saw a slight blush on Kai's cheeks as he turned toward Mia. 

"I'll go if Y/N goes," Mia said, offering Kai a smile. His face grew even redder. 

"I'm on board to go," you confirmed.

"It's settled then," Felix clapped his hands together, "This is going to be amazing."

☼☼☼ 

The group didn't leave the beach until about four o'clock that morning. You were exhausted, having missed out on a whole night of sleep, but you weren't irritated or bothered by this. Missing some sleep was absolutely worth what the night had to offer instead. 

Riding in the back of the truck on the way home, tucked into Hoseok's arms as he attempted to keep you warm against the cold night wind, you felt happy. You felt excitement. Most of all, you felt free. 

You weren't thinking about how you were going to lose all of that happiness in two months. You weren't thinking about how you'd have to move back home. You weren't thinking about how you would eventually have to return to a Hawaii-less reality. 

You weren't thinking about how you would eventually have to lose Hoseok. 

All of that worry could be dealt with another day.


	14. Preparations

~YOUR POV~

"Okay, spill! I'm dying to know the details," you said the second you and Mia arrived back at the house. It was so late, but you weren't tired. You were too hyped up on all the emotions and excitement of the night. After all, Hoseok had given you the sweetest goodnight kiss and you were still blushing from it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mia played dumb, kicking her shoes off by the door before throwing herself down on the couch, letting out a big sigh.

"Why are you making me work hard for this? Obviously, I'm talking about you and Kai," you gave her a knowing look and sat down in the adjacent living room chair.

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that," you narrowed your eyes at her, "C'mon, I'm so curious. Hoseok and I were shocked when we saw you guys alone together."

"Speaking of Hoseok, what exactly happened with you guys when you disappeared off down the beach?"

"Don't turn this back on me," you chuckled, "I'll tell you about Hoseok and me when you spill about Kai!"

"Ugh, fine," she began reluctantly. "We may have sort of hit it off..."

"I knew it! What happened?"

"Well, I was just helping Kaylen sort through the fireworks when Kai suddenly appeared to help us both, like we weren't capable of sorting through the box on our own," she laughed.

"Sounds like Kai. He's super overprotective of Kaylen, and I think having him out on the beach like that at night makes him nervous."

"I thought they all night surfed together?"

"They won't let Kaylen come. Well, I guess it's really just Kai who won't let him come. He acts like a helicopter parent."

"That's not necessarily always a bad thing," Mia shrugged.

"Are you defending him right now?" you gushed, "You have a crush don't you?"

"Anyway, we started casually small-talking," Mia continued, ignoring your question as a hint of blush overcame her cheeks.

"You small-talked with Kai?"

"Why, is that weird?"

"Kai's generally not the small-talk type. He must be into you if he struck up a conversation without being prompted to do so," you smirked.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"So what happened then? How did you guys end up alone?"

"He asked if I wanted to go walk along the water."

"HE DID WHAT?"

Mia was blushing even harder than she was before, "It's not a big deal."

"This is Kai we're talking about here! 'I-Hate-Everyone-That's-Not-Kaylen-Or-Hoseok-Or-Lea- Kai!"

"Well, we just walked and talked for a bit, that's all," Mia tried to be calm and nonchalant, but it was clear she was struggling to hide her excitement about the boy. 

"Dude, that hiking trip is going to be amazing. You're gonna be stuck in the literal jungle with him for like 3 days," you giggled, "I'm such a good match-maker. You're welcome."

"Thanks," she rolled her eyes. 

Then you winked and shuffled off to bed. 

☼☼☼ 

HOSEOK'S POV

FOUR DAYS LATER

"Are you sure they aren't gonna punch or something for waking them up so early?" Felix said as he walked along Hoseok up the drive to your house. 

"It's 10 a.m. I wouldn't exactly consider that to be early."

"It's early to me," he yawned. 

"That's just because you don't go to sleep until 2 in the morning," Hoseok knocked lightly on the front door. 

A moment later, the door swung open, but he wasn't met with yours or Mia's face. Unfortunately, he was faced with Paige. She was wearing a facemask and holding a protein shake, a Gucci bathrobe wrapped around her body. Hoseok internally cursed himself for not calling you ahead of time. Last time he encountered Paige, things hadn't exactly gone well. She still wasn't used to him hanging around, and she made it explicitly clear how much she didn't like him. 

"H-Hey, Paige. Good morning," he said, forcing the lightest and politest tone he could manage to hopefully avoid another lecture from her. 

"What are you doing here?" she mumbled through the face mask before reluctantly pulling it off of her face, "Thanks for making me waste 30 dollars." She threw the facemask out on the lawn. 

"First of all, that's littering, and you're in Hawaii for crying out loud. Second of all, what kind of face mask costs 30 dollars? What's it made out of? Gold? Panda Hair?" Felix's sassy side was coming out in full swing and Hoseok turned his head slightly, grimacing at his friend. 

"Who's this?" she nodded in an annoyed manner toward Felix before taking a swig of her protein shake. 

"Doesn't matter, okay? Please just get Mia and Y/N for me," Hoseok said, struggling to maintain his polite attitude. 

"Whatever. Just come in." She walked away from the door, leaving it wide open so Hoseok and Felix could walk inside. 

"She is intense," Felix muttered under his breath, "She needs to chillax."

"Your 'First of all, second of all' speech probably didn't help," Hoseok whispered back. 

"Y/N! Your goons are here!" Paige yelled down the hallway before plopping down on the couch and putting a new face mask on. 

"Goons?" Felix mouthed, and Hoseok just rolled his eyes. 

You appeared a moment later, looking a bit sleepy. But, you were already dressed in day clothes, so it didn't appear that Paige's yelling had woken you up. Your tired eyes lit up when they met with Hoseok's. 

"What are you guys doing here?" you smiled widely, skipping over to give Hoseok a modest hug. He hadn't seen you since Independence Day because you had a lot of school work to get ahead on before the hiking trip, so he appreciated the hug and how cute you were being. 

"Felix got the permits for us, so we came to pick you and Mia up so we can go shopping to get supplies," he explained, "Is Mia home?"

"Yeah, let me get her."

"You two are awfully cozy now," Felix nudged Hoseok, smirking slightly after you walked off. 

"Well, we like each other. What can I say?"

"Not to be a downer, but what about when she moves back home?" he whispered. 

"Trying not to think about that right now," Hoseok mumbled, and you and Mia came into the living room. 

"Everyone's out in the cars, so we'll leave once you guys are ready," Felix said. 

"Even Kai?" You asked, grinning at Mia. 

"Yes, even Kai," Hoseok said, "You'll have to fill me in on what happened between those two later."

"I'm not going to go if you guys don't stop harassing me about him," Mia was joking, but already blushing again. 

"We brought both cars so that way no one has to sit in the back since we're going all the way to Lihue," Felix said, gracefully changing the subject for Mia's shake. 

"Sounds good. I'm ready to go if Y/N is," Mia gave Felix a grateful smile. 

"I'm ready," you said. 

"LET'S GOOOOOO!" Felix roared excitedly. 

"Bro, we're just going to Safeway. You are way too hype. 

"There's no such thing as being too hype," Felix said, twirling and running out the front door. 

☼☼☼ 

Everyone intentionally made sure that Mia ended up in the car with Kai, and you and Hoseok made sure you were in that car as well so eavesdropping and observing could be done. Lea, Felix, and Kaylen were in the truck, and they would follow the rest of you to the store. 

"Lihue is like 45 minutes away, right?" You asked, buckling your seatbelt. Mia was sitting in the front next to Kai, while Hoseok and you were in the back. 

"Yeah. We could've gone somewhere a bit closer, but Safeway tends to have more variety," Hoseok said, before putting a finger to his lips, signaling for both of you to be quiet. You furrowed your eyebrows at him, seemingly confused. He pulled out his phone to send you an explanation message. 

new message to Y/N: i want to hear what mia and kai start talking about, or if they talk at all ;)

new message from Y/N: good plan

"So, did you sleep well?" Kai said, beginning to drive off down the road. 

"Yeah, pretty well. I had to stay up late last night to finish writing an essay for school. How about you?" Mia replied, seeming pretty comfortable with having a conversation with him. 

"I'm glad you got some rest. I, on the other hand, did not. I have some low-grade insomnia, so I'm pretty used to it, though," Kai explained. You and Hoseok both looked at each other, pretty much in shock. 

new message to Y/N: i have never seen him be so open about his insomnia. 

new message from Y/N: he even asked if she slept well. girls always think that's so cute. :0

"Oh, that really sucks. I'm sorry you have to deal with that," Mia sympathized with him, and Kai briefly looked over at her with a smile. 

new message to Y/N: HE IS SMILING AT HER WHAT IS HAPPENING 

new message from Y/N: Love. Love is happening. and i am so excited.


	15. in the morning

~YOUR POV~

You and Hoseok spent the remainder of the 45-minute drive to Lihue eavesdropping on Kai and Mia while texting each other about everything they said. Honestly, it made the car ride go by rather quickly, and it was fun to tease the two of them about their blossoming relationship. Hoseok was trying hard not to push Kai's buttons, however, because he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable about getting close to someone. 

Lea, Felix, and Kaylen were directly behind the truck you were in, so everyone was able to arrive at Safeway at exactly the same time. You all managed to snag a few parking spots close to the entrance. 

"So what exactly do we have to buy?" you asked, unbuckling your seatbelt as you waited on Kai to turn off the car and unlock the doors. 

"Quite a few things, actually. Camping gear, food, new camera batteries, sunscreen. A bunch of general stuff like that. We already have some things back at the house, but there's a lot of people going so we need to make sure we have enough gear for everyone," Hoseok explained. Everyone got out of the car shortly after. 

"How was the car ride?" Lea walked up to you, a knowing smile spreading across her face. 

"Oh, it was interesting. I didn't know Kai could be such a delightful person," you said quietly, so he wouldn't overhear. 

"Tell me all about it later, yeah?"

"For sure."

Once Kaylen and Felix joined up with the rest of the group, everyone headed inside. The store was large and clean and barely had anybody else there. It was the middle of a workday for most people, and it was likely that the only other shoppers were people in Kauai on vacation. It seemed like the perfect place to gather everything necessary for the soon-to-come adventure, but you felt a twinge of apprehension. 

Even though you had brought a large sum of money to Hawaii with you since you knew you wouldn't be able to have a job, that money was limited. You wondered how much all the gear would cost, and how the bill would be split between everyone. You didn't want to bring it up, though, because you didn't want to be that person. You weren't stingy with finances, but you had to remain realistic in the sense that the dollars in your bank account weren't exactly unlimited. 

"So, I wrote out a list for every one of the things they'll need, and I've sent it in a group message. I guess we can all split up, grab the supplies, and meet back here when we're done?" That was Lea, pointing to her phone to prompt everyone to look at theirs and find the list. 

New Message from Lea:

-backpack

-metal water bottle

-sleeping bag

-flashlight

-batteries

-portable phone charger

-sunscreen

-hand sanitizer

-snacks

-lighter 

"Anything that's not on the list we already have back at one of the houses, okay? And we will all split the bill on the permit, except for Kaylen since he's a kid and has no money," Lea chuckled. 

"I would be happy to get a job if somebody didn't hover so much," Kaylen nodded toward Kai. 

"Hey, the reason your head hasn't been bitten off by a shark is thanks to the fact that I'm overprotective, so you're welcome," Kai countered. 

"What does me working at a snow cone stand or something have to do with getting my head taken off by a shark?"

"That's not relevant," Kai shrugged. 

"What are you talking about?!"

"Guys, we don't have time for this," Lea intervened. 

"Technically, we have all the time in the world," Felix said. Lea gave him a narrow-eyed look, and that shut him up. You held back a laugh. 

"How about we all just start shopping now?" Hoseok proposed, and everyone was quick to agree. 

You and Hoseok ended up going off alone together, while the others split up as well. You didn't know for sure, but you figured that Mia had wandered off with Kai. The thought made you smile. 

"What're you grinning about?" Hoseok nudged your side, giving you an equally as big grin. 

"Kai and Mia are making me happy. I'm glad that seems to be working out," you replied, grabbing his hand and holding it in yours as you two began to walk up and down the aisles, searching for everything on Lea's list. 

"I'm really not kidding when I say that I've never seen him act like this with anyone, much less a girl. I'm glad they seem to be getting along. Kai needs someone to level him out a bit," Hoseok said as he grabbed a small shopping basket that was sitting on a stand at the end of the aisle. 

"I mean, why is Kai so closed off? If you don't mind me asking..."

"I don't think there's really a specific reason. He's just been through a lot of unstable times in his life with his mom leaving and his dad in the military. I think he's just the type that emotionally closes himself off as to not get hurt by anyone," Hoseok shrugged, "So all joking aside, it really is a miracle that he's opened up to Mia at all."

You grabbed two reusable water bottles from a shelf and tossed them into the basket. 

"Well, I'm glad she came along, then. It's kind of funny how things end up working out."

"What do you mean?" Hoseok looked over at you. 

"It's just funny how things work about accident. I met you by accident, and that lead to us being in a relationship, me getting to meet your friends and become friends with them as well, and now Kai getting to Mia. It's just funny how things can develop just because two people met by accident."

"It really is," Hoseok agreed, smiling, and giving you a kiss right there in the middle of the store. 

☼☼☼ 

After the supplies were bought and everyone had a chance to haul everything back to their respective houses, the group met up at Papalani Gelato to discuss the plans for the following day.

"So, we're leaving at 4 am sharp, okay? So Lea and Felix should meet us at our house, and then we'll swing by and grab Mia and Y/N on the way," Kai explained.

"And make sure you pack up your bags tonight so that you don't have to worry about it tomorrow," Lea suggested. 

"Yep! And I have the permits taken care of, so I'll just carry those with me. Plan to be gone for three days, but it won't necessarily take that long for us to go all the way there and back." That was Felix, who unsurprisingly had Lea sitting in his lap. They were the King and Queen of PDA. 

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm excited," Kaylen said, taking a huge bite of his ice cream. According to Hoseok, Kaylen had managed to guilt Kai into letting him come along. 

"I'm excited too!" Mia exclaimed. She wasn't sitting beside you on the grass, but beside Kai. They had a modest amount of space between them, but were still sitting close enough that it caught your attention. 

You, on the other hand, were simply sitting beside Hoseok, his arm draped lazily around your shoulders as he had done several times before at this point. 

"Who's driving tomorrow?" you asked in between bites of tiger butter gelato. 

"I'll bring my car, and Kai will drive the truck like we did going to the store today," Felix replied. 

"We should all get home, we have an early morning tomorrow," Hoseok said. He stood up, helping you up as well as you finished the last of the ice cream. 

"Hoseok's right. We should go," Kai agreed, prompting everyone else to get up, throw their trash away, and head for the cars. 

Lea and Felix took Kaylen back home, while you, Hoseok, Kai, and Mia ended up in the truck to be taken back to your house. Hoseok opened the truck door for you when you arrived, and walked you up to the door. Mia and Kai, however, remained mysteriously alone together in the truck. 

"How're you feeling about tomorrow?" he asked softly, pulling you into a gentle and comforting hug. You were tired after the long day of running around, and the feeling of being so close to Hoseok made you drowsy. He was always so warm. 

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm still a bit nervous. But, I'm really excited. I just feel like there's this giant adventure out there waiting for me," you giggled, "that was so cheesy, I'm sorry."

He laughed, "Don't apologize," he pulled away so he could see your face, "You're cute."

"Stop," you gushed, leaning back into his embrace so he couldn't see your blushing cheeks. "I'm tired so kiss me goodnight."

"That, I can do," he laughed, kissing you quickly on the lips, "Go to sleep, now. I'll question Kai until he tells me all the details about his thing with Mia. And I'll see you in the morning, bright and early. I bet you look cute when you're sleepy."

"You're too much sometimes, you know that?" you shook your head at him, smiling stupidly. 

"Yeah, but you love it."


	16. on your shoulder

~HOSEOK'S POV~

Just as he had promised, Hoseok showed up to your house along with Kai at four A.M. sharp. It was still dark outside, but he could see you and Mia sitting on the front steps due to the porch light. You both had your heads resting in your hands, looking half asleep, your bags sitting on the steps. The image of you looking so cute and sleepy made him smile, and he opened the car door in the backseat, motioning for you two to come climb in.

"Let's go get their bags for them," Kai said, turning the car off.

Hoseok met you on the sidewalk, gushing at your sleepy eyes. "Good morning, cutie."

"You're such a flirt," you yawned as Hoseok took the bag you had slung over your shoulder.

"I know," he said with a smirk, carrying the luggage alongside Kai who was carrying Mia's stuff so it could be stowed in the trunk of the car.

"It's too early," Mia complained, "I didn't even have time for my coffee." She sat in the front seat beside Kai, and you climbed into the back with Hoseok just as you had all done when going to Safeway before.

"I brought you a coffee," Kai said, holding a travel mug out to Mia.

"You're a lifesaver," Hoseok could see her grin before the lights in the car faded out. He was glad to see Kai so clearly infatuated with a girl as nice as Mia. He deserved to be happy after everything he'd been through in his life.

"I brought you some Froot Loops and a coffee, too," Hoseok said to you, pointing to the cup holder and the seatback pocket where he had put your breakfast.

"Thank you," you smiled sleepily.

"I figured you might need some caffeine."

"You figured right."

Kai started the car since everyone was situated, beginning off down the road to go to Lea's house so they could follow Kai's car to Princeville.

It was completely dark outside apart from the moon, and Hoseok could tell how drowsy you were, especially now that the car was moving.

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" he offered, wanting you to be comfortable and to feel well-rested before the day's crazy adventure truly began.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be bored during this car ride. It's super long, right?" you said, but another yawn gave you away. 

"Here," he quickly unbuckled and slid over to the middle seat before buckling back up so you could rest your head on his shoulder. "Rest, Y/N. I'll wake you up a little while before we get there so you can eat."

You didn't say anything, and he couldn't see your face, so for a moment, he was unsure if you were going to accept the offer or not. 

But then, you were resting against him, one of your hands reaching to hold his. 

☼☼☼ 

~YOUR POV~

Your first thought upon waking up and realizing that you were still resting on Hoseok's shoulder was you hoping that you hadn't drooled all over him. Drooling is not attractive nor fun for Hoseok's gray cotton t-shirt, and you found yourself scared to pull away from him in the event that a string of drool would be stretching from the corner of your mouth to his shoulder. It was such a hilarious yet concerning thought. 

"You awake?" he asked, and you peeked one eye open. The sun was completely up now, and it was around 7 A.M. 

You took a deep breath before sitting up, sighing with relief as you were not greeted by a pool of drool. 

"You may want to eat something. We'll be there in about twenty minutes," Hoseok said, handing you the little single serving box of Froot Loops. 

"Thanks," you took the box from him, opening it and beginning to eat the colorful cereal that reminded you greatly of your childhood. 

Mia and Kai were having a quiet conversation about school from what you overheard, and you wondered if they had been talking the whole time you were sleeping. You were so tired you had easily fallen asleep within minutes of leaning on Hoseok. If you were honest, you hadn't slept well the night before due to both general excitement and nervousness about today. 

You looked out the window, surprised at how different this side of the island looked compared to Poipu. The greenery was even different; still just as pretty, but different. You felt a rush of gratefulness that you were getting to experience this adventure being as young as you were. And when you looked over at Hoseok, you felt even more grateful. 

The rest of the car ride was relatively quiet, but those last twenty minutes went by fast. Before you knew it, Kai was pulling into a parking lot that was still relatively empty due to it being so early in the morning. 

"Let's go!" Kai actually sounded excited, and you watched as he flashed Mia a toothy smile. You would never get used to Kai being so giddy. It was cute. 

You all climbed out of the car to be greeted by Felix, Lea, and Kaylen who had parked in the spot directly beside you. Kai popped the trunk of the car to start unloading the backpacks. You tried to pack yours as light as possible while still bringing everything that was on Lea's list. 

"Here you go," Kai handed both you and Mia your bags before grabbing his and Hoseok's. Felix, Lea, and Kaylen already had theirs and were ready to go. 

"Let's get going!" Felix exclaimed, bouncing around. 

"Babe, you need to chill. You're gonna burn all of your energy way too fast," Lea scolded him slightly. 

"Don't tell me what to do," he stuck his tongue out at her. 

"Get ready for three consecutive days of listening to that," Hoseok whispered in your ear, grabbing your hand. "Let's go, you guys. Before Felix and Lea start making out or something," he laughed. 

You all made your way toward the trail's entrance, stopping to take a picture in front of the Kalalau Trail sign with Felix's Go-Pro. You hadn't even seen the picture yet, but you already knew it would be something that you would cherish long after you had left Hawaii. 

☼☼☼ 

The first part of the hike was entirely uphill, but Felix encouraged everyone by saying, "This isn't so bad! The whole thing isn't like this!" You weren't sure if you entirely believed him, but you had to admit that the view was worth the burning sensation in your calves. You were literally hiking along the edge of the mountains lining the Na Pali Coast. The water was to your right, and it looked incredible; sparkling and 50 shades of blue. 

The trail was only about 2 feet wide, with jungle lining your left side, so you all had to walk in a single-file line. Felix was at the front leading the group since he was more familiar with the hike than the rest of you. Kai picked up the rear of the line, probably to keep a watchful eye not only Kaylen now, but Mia as well. 

It only took about an hour to get through the uphill part before the trail dramatically changed and went downhill. The beach was the first rest stop, and there were a few people scattered around also appearing to be taking a break. 

"This is a dangerous beach, so no one go in the water. I would use this break time to eat a snack. But, we shouldn't stop for too long. If we want to make it to our camp spot before night, we're going to have be quick," Felix said, taking off his pack and setting it on the ground so he could sit on a big rock. You all followed suit, dropping your backpacks on the ground. 

You stretched, your shoulders feeling a bit achy from all the weight they had been carrying. 

"Here," Hoseok passed you a protein bar, and you took it graciously. You had burned off the calories from the Froot Loops a long time ago. 

"So, what makes this beach so dangerous?" you asked, sitting down beside him. 

"Most of the beaches on this hike are really dangerous. The currents are really strong, and it's easy to get swept away, even if you're a really strong swimmer. A lot of people have drowned here because they thought they could handle the current when they really couldn't," he explained between bites of the protein bar. 

"That's kind of scary," you watched as the waves crashed on the beach, and as the current sucked all the water back out to sea. The process was repetitive. 

"Yeah. I spend a lot of time in the ocean but I don't mess with beaches like these. The good news is, the beach at the very end of the hike is okay for us to go in as long as we stay in the shallow part of the water. I did some research before we left," he said, already done eating. He crumpled up the wrapper and stuffed it into his bag. 

"That's good because it's so hot out here today," you said, pointing to the sweat that was beading on your forehead. 

"It'll probably start raining soon. You know how Kauai's weather is."

"Is it safe for us to walk the trail when it's raining?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine. The next two miles or so are in the inner part of the jungle, so it's not like you can slip and fall off the side of the cliff like before," he chuckled, standing up and putting his backpack on. "You about ready to continue on?"

"Let's do it," he reached for your hand and helped pull you up. 

Everyone grouped back up, and you all headed off for the trail again. Hoseok was right; the scenery for this next part of the hike was strikingly different; you were surrounded by Hawaiian jungle, and you could no longer see the ocean. There was a giant patch of bamboo with many people's initials carved into it right at the beginning of the trail. 

"Let's carve our names in like everyone else!" Lea exclaimed, "Felix, give me your pocket knife."

She carved her initials with a heart, and then Felix's initials beneath it. 

"That is so cheesy," Kaylen faked a gag. 

"I think it's cute," Mia gushed. 

"As do I," Hoseok took the pocket from Lea and proceeded to carve his name and yours into the bamboo stalk, a heart in the middle. 

"I can't deal with you guys today," Kaylen laughed. 

"What can I say? We're all in love," Felix grinned, pulling Lea into his side. 

You glanced at Hoseok as he finished carving your names into the bamboo. "Love," you thought. Is that what was between you and Hoseok at this point?

 

'I think it might be.'


	17. wiped out

~HOSEOK'S POV~

Nighttime seemed to creep up on everyone. They'd been so distracted all day, walking and climbing and absorbing all of the scenery, they hadn't even realized how late in the day it was.

While Hoseok was enjoying the hike for himself, he was more so enjoying watching you experience Hawaii in its most organic state. Your eyes lit up at everything you saw, and you smiled often, looking to Hoseok because you seemed to want to share the moment with him. This time with you was priceless, Hoseok thought.

When everyone reached the waterfall that was 4 miles into the hike, he helped you climb up to one of the natural ledges so you could get a better view. You sat with him at the top for a long time, favoring the view while leaning on his shoulder.

It was a moment he would never forget.

"You guys ready to set up camp?" Kai asked as everyone reached a clearing in the jungle off to the right of the trail. "This looks like a good place."

"Sounds good to me," Lea agreed, "I'm exhausted, and it's probably a bad idea for us to keep going in the dark."

Felix took his backpack off and set it on the ground. "Yeah, this place looks good."

Hoseok took off his backpack as well, and so did you. There was a small pile of everyone's bags on the ground in an instant. The packs were incredibly heavy, and it was obvious everyone was glad to be taking them off for the night.

"Tired?" Hoseok asked you even though he already knew the answer. You'd been yawning for the past half hour, but you hadn't complained a single time.

"Very," you admitted and yawned again, practically on cue.

Hoseok smiled, "Me and the other guys will set up the giant tent that Lea found online. You and the girls go sit and eat something, okay?"

"Okay," you complied, going off to sit beside Lea and Mia who were already digging into their backpacks for a snack.

Kai and Kaylen and Felix were already busy trying to figure the huge mess of a tent, which was turning out to be more complicated to put together than it originally appeared.

"Do you think we'll all be able to fit in this?" Kaylen asked as he tried to make sense of the tiny paper directions.

"Yeah, it should be fine," Felix said. He and Kai were trying to untangle the fabric.

"We're gonna be packed in there like a bunch of sardines," Kai replied, a hint of nervousness lining his voice.

"So? We're all friends here," Hoseok said, purposely pushing Kai a bit to see if he would admit he was nervous to be that close to Mia.

"Yeah, that's true," Kai didn't take the bait and Hoseok felt disappointed. He just wanted Kai to admit his feelings.

He just wanted his friends to feel as happy as he did with you.

"I want to go swimming tomorrow," Felix said, "We're going to be hitting the beach soon. That one should be safe."

"Are you sure about that?" Kaylen said, giving up on the instructions and shoving them back in his bag. 

"Don't you trust me?"

"Yeah, but I also don't want to drown," Kaylen said with an attitude, leaving Kai chuckling a bit. 

"I've taught you well, brother," Kai smirked and Felix rolled his eyes. 

"It'll be fine. And we're all together. Nothing bad is going to happen," Felix insisted. 

"Whatever you say, man." Kaylen finally complied, but Hoseok felt slightly uneasy about it all. 

"How about we just wait and see what the tide is like before we decide anything," Hoseok tried to be the voice of reason against Felix's impulsive nature. 

"Fair enough," Felix shrugged, "Now help us pitch this tent."

☼☼☼

~YOUR POV~

The sound of the waves and the soft breeze acted as somewhat of a lullaby. After nearly 12 hours of physical exertion, you were more than exhausted. Content, yes. But still exhausted.

You were laying in the huge tent alongside Lea, Felix, Mia, and Kaylen who were already fast asleep. Hoseok was still outside helping Kai pack up everything so it wouldn't be a hassle in the morning. Your eyelids were growing heavy, but your mind refused to fully drift off until Hoseok was safely back in the tent with you.

You all weren't staying in an unsafe place, and there literally weren't any snakes on the entire island, but the thought of him out there in the literal jungle made you uncomfortable.

He reappeared a few minutes later, miraculously before you had drifted off completely.

"Are you comfortable?" Hoseok asked quietly, crawling over to the empty spot beside you. Kai came in a second later, having trouble stepping over everyone else to get the empty spot left for him beside Kaylen.

"Yeah, my neck's just a little stiff," you yawned, Hoseok's warm presence beside you quickly sending you back to an extremely drowsy state.

"Use me as a pillow. I don't mind. But don't drool on me," he teased you, laying down completely and opening his arms to give you room to rest your head on his chest.

"Go to sleep, Y/N, I got you."

You felt more content and safe laying there in his arms than you ever had before. The summer of a lifetime that you had been searching for was right in your hands. 

Everything was perfect. 

☼☼☼ 

You all were back walking the trail around sunrise, eager to reach one of the beaches. You were about apprehensive about swimming at any of them considering everything that Hoseok had said before about most of them being quite dangerous. But, Felix seemed to beg to differ, and he did know this hike better than anyone else in the group. You figured you'd just trust their best judgment and be as careful as possible. 

"I have mud all over my legs," Lea said, "Are we coming up on this beach soon?"

"Yeah, it's just a bit farther up," Felix reassured his girlfriend as he readjusted how his backpack was resting on his shoulder. 

Sure enough, the beach was just ahead as Felix said. The sand was fine and nearly white, still slightly cold since the sun had only been up for about an hour. 

Hoseok dropped his bag on the sand, and everyone else did too to create a pile like before. There was no one else on the beach, and even though the water was likely going to be extremely cold, you found yourself really wanting to go jump in. 

"I challenge you two to a chicken fight," Felix said to Kai and Mia who had been practically joined at the hip for the entirety of the trip. 

"In the ocean?" Mia laughed. 

"Yeah. The waves are looking calm, and we'll just stay in the shallow end."

"We accept your challenge," Kai smiled, "Let's go."

You looked over at Hoseok who shrugged his shoulders and then started taking off his shoes. "Let's go with them."

You nodded in agreement, your apprehension about the water fading away and being replaced by excitement and anticipation of fun. 

"C'mon, Kaylen!" Hoseok shouted, "Let's go referee their chicken fight!"

Kaylen kicked off his shoes and ran over to join you and Hoseok. 

"Are you having fun, Y/N?" he asked you politely. He was a shy kid and hadn't said too much to you since you'd known him, but he was undeniably well-mannered and sweet. 

"Totally. Are you?"

"Yes! I'm just glad that Kai let me come along," Kaylen said, glancing over his shoulder to where Kai and Mia were getting ready to go run into the water together. 

"We're glad you're here," Hoseok said, taking his shirt off. "Now, let's go jump into those waves."

You all joined up with the others, everyone holding hands and counting to three before running into the waves together. The water was cold but it honestly felt really good, and you were grateful to finally get all the mud that was caked onto your legs off, as was everyone else. 

"THIS IS HOW SUMMER WAS MEANT TO BE!" Felix shouted excitedly, eliciting laughter from everyone else. 

"He's right," Hoseok smiled, an arm around your waist, "C'mon, start the chicken fight!" 

Mia climbed up onto Kai's shoulders, and Lea did the same to Felix. You weren't sure which team would succeed in knocking the other over first because both girls were relatively strong. Lea was a lifeguard and Mia used to do Water Polo at her home college. 

They started moving and pushing, trying not to laugh while doing so. You and Hoseok stood off to the side in the water, watching intently and continually changing your bets on who was going to win. 

Everything was bright and happy, and everyone was having so much fun. It seemed like the perfect way to spend a morning. 

But then you heard the sound of a blood-curdling scream coming from a place that was too close for comfort. 

Everything that happened next seemed to move in slow motion as if it wasn't really happening. As if it wasn't really reality. 

But it was. 

Before your eyes could even comprehend what had happened, Hoseok had moved away from you, desperately moving as quickly as he could to the source of the screaming. And then, Felix was by his side, helping. Kai remained frozen in shock, unable to do anything to help. 

It was then that you saw the blood pooling in the water, and upon more screaming, you felt your self-preservation instincts taking over. 

"Guys, get out of the water!" you yelled to Mia and Kai. "Get out of the water, now!"

You ran up the beach, followed by Mia who was starting to cry and dragging a petrified Kai along with her. 

Felix and Hoseok were close to the shore, and you finally understood exactly what had happened. They were dragging a screaming, bleeding Kaylen up onto the shore, his leg the source of the blood. 

"I need shirts, please! Now!" Hoseok cried out, him and Felix trying to bring him further up onto the shore. 

"What happened to him?!" Lea was afraid and crying, frantically searching through the bags for fabric. 

"He was bitten by a shark," Felix said, his voice sounding shaky and thin as him and Hoseok finally settled Kaylen down on the beach. There was a trail of blood from his leg down the beach and into the water. 

"Oh my god, what are we going to do?" you and Lea took the linens that they had asked for over to them. 

"Nobody panic, we need to stay as clear-minded as possible right now," Hoseok said, taking the shirts and wrapping them around the huge wound in Kaylen's leg. Kaylen screamed out in pain at the pressure being applied to the bite. 

"I'm sorry, buddy, I know, I'm sorry. We need to do this to try and stop the bleeding so we can get you to a hospital, okay?" Hoseok attempted to comfort him. 

"We're miles into the trail, and cars can't get here. What do we do?" You turned to Lea, the numbing shock finally passing as the fear settled in. 

"We'll have to carry him," Felix said, "C'mon Hoseok, help me pick him up. The rest of you get the bags please."

You watched as Felix and Hoseok picked up a struggling Kaylen, and you prayed for a miracle.


	18. pineapple pajamas

~HOSEOK'S POV~

The way back through the trail was a struggle. When Hoseok's arms got tired he switched places with Kai, and when Felix's arms got tired, he switched places with him. They were moving back through the trail much quicker than they had first gone through it, the feeling of a bleeding Kaylen in their arms motivation to move quicker. 

When he wasn't carrying Kaylen he was holding your hand, terrified that Kaylen had gotten hurt but yet grateful that no one else did as well. He was feeling incredibly guilty as well, for he was the one that invited Kaylen into the water in the first place. 

Everyone was quiet and serious, except for the occasional few words spoken to Kaylen to make sure he was still awake. They wanted him to not pass out if at all possible. 

He lost track of time while on that trail. He didn't know how long it took them to get back, but it was several hours. However, when they approached the final mile before finally being back at their cars, they ran into several people who were starting the hike. They warned the people who asked if they needed help to stay out of the water and to be more careful than the group had been. 

Hoseok felt shame. He should've known better. They all should've known better. 

"Lea, run to the cars and call an ambulance, please," Felix said. Hoseok and he were carrying Kaylen down the last stretch of rocks before entering the parking lot. It was incredibly steep and difficult to maneuver with sore legs, not to mention while carrying a teenager in their arms. 

Lea did as she was told, and quickly made her way down the rocks and to the parking lot. 

"We're almost there, okay? Hang in there," Hoseok said to the younger boy who's color had drained out of his face. He was still awake, though, which gave Hoseok some hope that maybe, by some miracle, Kaylen would be okay. 

When they finally reached the parking lot, they carefully laid Kaylen down in the bed of the truck while they anxiously waited for the ambulance to arrive. Hoseok's arms were cramping and sore, and he felt sick to his stomach. Nobody was talking; nobody knew what to say. 

It only took ten minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and Hoseok felt a sense of minor relief at the fact that trained professionals were finally here to help. 

"I'm going with him," Kai didn't ask the paramedics, but he told them. 

"That's fine," they said as the loaded him up onto a stretcher. 

"Lea, come with me," Kai said, "Please, come with me." At that point, it sounded more like he was pleading. Like he didn't want to do this alone. Like he couldn't do it alone. 

Felix pressed a kiss to Lea's forehead before letting her go, watching as she climbed into the ambulance alongside Kai. The doors shut, and the ambulance was off. 

"Let's follow them to the hospital," Felix murmured, "We'll leave Kai's car here for now and pick it up later."

Everyone climbed into the truck; Felix and Mia in the front, you and Hoseok in the back. It was obvious that you could sense how tense he felt, how sick he felt. You didn't reach for his hand, but you actually moved to the middle seat and put an arm around his waist, pulling him as close to you as you could. 

"I'm here," was all you said, and that was all he needed to hear. 

☼☼☼

~YOUR POV~

The hospital was cold and dreary like practically all hospitals are. You were surprised by the cool temperatures because you had never once encountered a place on Kauai that could be considered "cold". 

You and Hoseok and Mia and Felix ended up sitting in the waiting room for over an hour before Kai and Lea finally came out, both looking tear-stricken and exhausted. 

"He's okay," Kai said with a sigh, "but they are sure if he's going to lose his foot or not. He needs major surgery. They're prepping him now."

Nobody said anything yet again, because no one knew what to say. 

"You guys just go home. We're going to be here for a while," that was Lea

"I'm not just going to leave you here," Felix insisted, going over to here and enveloping her in a tight hug before she had time to argue with him. 

"Hoseok, you at least take Y/N and Mia home," Kai said, his eyebrows narrowed at Hoseok. You frowned. 

"We should stay," you argued, "We all care about Kaylen here, okay?"

"No. I don't want Hoseok here. Not right now," Kia shook his head, his mind seemingly made up. 

"Are you seriously blaming me for this?" Hoseok said in disbelief, "You know that I wanted to protect him just as badly as you did."

"Go. Home." Kai said sharply, before turning around and walking off down the hallway. 

"Hoseok, I'm sorry about him. He's just-" Lea attempted to console Hoseok's obvious hurt, but he didn't let her finish. 

"It's fine, I'm going. Come on," He said to you and Mia, beginning to walk away without waiting for either of your responses. 

Everything was turning so negative, and the tension could be cut through with a knife. 

Hoseok didn't say a single word the entire drive home, which was a long time to not say anything. You and Mia didn't talk either. 

"I'll call you if I find out anything," was the first time Hoseok broke the silence once he finally reached your house. 

"You can come in, you know?" you offered. You wanted to comfort him. 

"I want to be alone right now, but thanks," he said in a small voice. "Go rest. Both of you."

Reluctantly, you and Mia both left the car, an emotionally-closed off Hoseok driving away just moments later. 

☼☼☼ 

~HOSEOK'S POV~

He was unsure as he approached the huge window of your bedroom. It was just past one in the morning, but he couldn't stand to be alone any longer. Neither Kai nor Lea or Felix had reached out to him, so he had no idea how Kaylen was doing. He just knew he was feeling so angry at those three and so guilty for inviting Kaylen into the water. He thought being alone would help him reflect and accept what was happening, but it only continually made things worse. 

He wasn't sure if you were sleeping or not as your fairy lights were still turned on, illuminating soft lighting from your bedroom. He began having second thoughts; maybe he should've called you instead. Or maybe he should've just slaved to his room, drowning in his feelings alone. Maybe that's what he deserved.

But then his heart was swelling with another wave of panic and pain. He swallowed his pride, carefully tapping on the screen of the open window. There was a second where he hoped you wouldn't hear him, and that he could turn away quietly and go home. But you appeared before him just moments later. You were in your pajamas; an over-sized T-shirt and cotton bottoms that were decorated with pineapples. But, you didn't appear as if you'd been asleep.

"Hoseok?" You seemed confused as you raised the large window screen. "What are you doing here?"

He shifted uncomfortably, suffering through another round of second-guessing and embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shown up like this without calling first," he apologized, but he couldn't find the will within himself to offer to leave.

"It's okay," you replied, "What's wrong?"

"Everything."

He finally felt himself openly break for the first time since he was on the beach, struggling to pull a bloody Kaylen out of the water. He let go of his positive facade, his fake smiles fading away as his face was suddenly overwhelmed with hot tears. In some strange way, it was almost comforting to finally let the wall come down, to properly let all of the emotion come rushing out.

Your face was contorting then, mimicking his sadness as you motioned him to come forward, "Come in."

"Is this okay?" he mumbled, wanting to confirm your permission for him to yet again intrude on your life.

You nodded, your eyes full of compassion as you repeated yourself, "Come in, Hoseok."

And so he climbed through your window into the privacy of your tiny and incredibly humid room, continually swiping tears off his cheeks. You stood in front of him, eyes soft and sad all at the same time.

"Please, just tell me what I can do to help."

"I-I don't k-know. I-I don't k-know what t-to d-do about a-anything anymore," he stuttered through his tears, unable to even express the sheer level of distress that his mind was in. He'd been holding in the emotions. He'd been choking on them, stuffing them down in attempt to not accept the reality of the situation. And because he'd been holding everything in rather than dealing with each wave of grief as it came, he was more overwhelmed now than he ever had been. It was as if his feelings were forcing their way up his throat, and he couldn't breathe right anymore. Everything hurt.

You were suddenly holding him as every wall he'd built came tumbling to the ground without warning.

"Just let it out. It's okay. I'm here," you gently encouraged him, your arms wrapped warmly around him.

"It's all my fault," he cried, feeling as if the only thing that was keeping him from falling apart completely was your arms. "I'm the one that wanted him to come in the water with us."

"It isn't your fault, Hoseok. You're the one who stepped up to try and help him when the rest of us didn't know what to do," you reminded him of reality as he clung to you, his face against your neck, his tears rolling off his face and onto your skin.

"B-But that wasn't enough," he still argued, trying to purge every last thought of regret and doubt he'd been having so that you could negate each one and talk him down. Your voice not only worked wonders at soothing him, but it also helped to draw the hidden darkness out of him; the darkness that he used to always keep hidden.

"You are only human, and there was only so much you could physically do. We all know that you did everything you possibly could. You did nothing wrong, Hoseok. Please, try to start forgiving yourself from all of this pointless blame. Kaylen is alive because of you," he began to panic as the warmth of your body was pulling away from his.

"Please, don't let me go," he practically whimpered. You frowned at him, your hands cradling his cheeks. "I only pulled away so I could do this," you said softly, gently drying up his tears with your fingers. He nodded slightly, allowing his eyes to close for a moment.

"I'm not gonna leave you. I promise," you whispered.

He cried for a little while longer as you silently encouraged him, sitting curled up beside you on your bed. He figured that the position may have been uncomfortable for you, but you refused the idea of him leaving several more times before he dropped it, and allowed himself to continue being vulnerable. He knew he probably looked pathetic and sad, but you were so adamant about taking care of him that he didn't mind seeming that way for a while.

He fell asleep unintentionally, falling into a cycle of spinning nightmares.

☼☼☼

~YOUR POV~

The sound of scared whimpers woke you a mere hour afterHoseok had fallen asleep. You sighed, rolling over to face him.

"Hoseok, wake up," you said, gently shaking his shoulder. He stirred slightly but was still asleep, tears everywhere and shallow breaths being taken in. "You're having a nightmare."

You shook him again and that seemed to do the trick. His eyes were open and his dream was over but he was anything other than calm.

"Y/N?" he cried, desperately trying to blink back his tears so that he could see properly. His hands were reaching for you in the dark.

"I'm right here," you slid your arm over his side, moving closer to him. "Are you okay?"

He easily folded into the safety of your arms. "I will be."

He cried for a little while longer as you silently encouraged him. Your position changed slightly though, as you were sitting more propped up against the pillows, Hoseok's head resting on your stomach. If you were honest, having another human laying on you when the room was already ridiculously hot wasn't the most pleasant feeling. But, Hoseok had looked sad and pathetic when curled up on the edge of your bed as he cried, trying to give you your space. And that boy was currently so deprived of love and consistency that you wanted to do everything you possibly could to help relieve him of all that pain.

"Do you regret coming here?" Hoseok murmured around three in the morning.

"Not at all. Why do you ask?" you ran your fingers gently over his bare back. His shirt was on the floor along with all the blankets and the loose sheet. Getting rid of the linens was the only way to compensate for the intense humidity that was clouding up your room from the open window.

"You don't wish you could go back and unsee what you saw on the beach that day? Go back and never have met me, to begin with?"

"I don't," you confirmed,"Do you?"

He sighed, "No. I'm glad you're here."

"You're stronger than you think you are, Hoseok," you reminded him, another relaxed sigh leaving his lips. "Go to sleep now. You need rest."

He shifted, pulling himself off of you. "You need to rest too. You should lay down."

And so you did as you were told, and allowed your eyes to close.


	19. the brightness of the sun

~HOSEOK'S POV~ 

He woke late the next morning to find your arms to still be encircling his torso. Both his legs and yours were tangled up, his head tucked into the space where your chest and shoulder met. He was glazed with sweat, wanting to get up and see if you had an extra box fan in the living room.

In the morning light, Hoseok found himself obtaining a bit of much-needed perspective. Things didn't seem quite as bad anymore as you had managed to talk him down. He was so incredibly grateful for your soft touch and your kind words. He was grateful that you held him all night and that you invited him in in the first place. You were so selfless, and he loved you for that.

Hoseok slowly and carefully untangled himself from you as you continued to sleep. His goal was to find another box fan to help cool the room down and to grab some water for you both. He ignored his crumpled-up shirt that was on your floor and proceeded to go down the hallway into the joint living room and kitchen. He was yawning and attempting to rake his fingers through his terrible bedhead when he was suddenly faced with 3 girls; all 3 of your roommates.

They were sitting in the living room, munching on breakfast and watching the TV at a low volume. He started to turn around, feeling awkward as he realized he was half-naked.

"Hoseok?" he recognized the voice calling out to him as Mia's. He grimaced and turned back around to face the girls.

"Did you spend the night here? Are you okay? How's Kaylen doing? Mia seemed deeply concerned, and for good reason, "I've tried calling Kai a dozen times, but he won't answer me."

"Yeah, I came here in the middle of the night...I just needed to get out of my house, and I wanted to talk to Y/N...I'm sorry for intruding."

"Don't be sorry," Mia insisted before being interrupted by Paige.

"I understand why you came this time around, but don't make it a habit, alright? This house is crowded enough as is."

"Paige, shup up," both Mia and Emma said in unison. Hoseok took that as his cue to continue speaking.

"Kaylen is still in the hospital. I guess nothing monumental has happened since they haven't contacted me. And Kai probably isn't talking to anyone right now, so try not to take it too personally. He'll come around."

"I understand...Thanks," Mia seemed disappointed but also grateful for Hoseok's words. "Do you need anything?"

"I just came out here for some water and to see if you guys had an extra fan. It's really stuffy in Y/N's room."

"Sure, I have an extra in my closet. I'll grab it for you. And there's water and juice in the fridge so help yourself."

"Thank, Mia. I appreciate it."

☼☼☼

Hoseok plugged in the fan, turning it on high and facing it toward the bed. You were still fast asleep, so Hoseok set the glass of water down on your side of the table. He didn't want to wake you, especially since you had stayed up half the night caring for him. He didn't want to jet off and leave, either. So, he carefully climbed back into the bed as to not disturb your sleep and allowed himself to relax back into the mattress.

You shifted beside him, rolling over and sticking your hand out, searching until it hit Hoseok. He smiled at your half-asleep composure, happy as your curled into him. After a long night of expressing pent-up emotions, it felt so nice to relax next you. He remained comfortable with you in a stress-free sleep for another couple of hours.

☼☼☼

~YOUR POV~

It was late in the morning when you woke, and you were surprised to find Hoseok still in your bed. In the morning light, the prior night's events seemed slightly distant and hazy. Party of you had expected Hoseok to have run off while you were sleeping. But, clearly, that wasn't the case. And you were glad that wasn't the case.

Your stomach growled, hungry for the breakfast you'd usually already eaten. You contemplated for a moment whether to wake Hoseok before deciding against it. He'd had an emotionally exhausting night and could probably benefit from extra sleep.

However, as you tried to carefully remove yourself from the bed, arms encapsulated you.

"Just a minute more," Hoseok murmured, nuzzling into your neck.

"Good morning," you giggled, wrapping your arms around him. Like always, he was warm, which was good, because of the new fan in the room you were getting cold.

His stomach growled, and you couldn't help but laugh again. "We can always cuddle more after breakfast."

"How about during breakfast?"

"Deal," you snuck a quick kiss and made him get out of bed.

He started to walk toward your door but you stood in front of him, a hand to his chest. "Clothe yourself, first." You laughed.

"They already saw me earlier," he said, but complied anyway, slipping his t-shirt on.

You and Hoseok walked down the hallway together and out into the joint kitchen and living room area. No one else appeared to be home anymore, and the TV wasn't on.

"Well, I guess it's just us," you shrugged, going over to fridge as you saw a large yellow sticky note stuck to the front of it.

Left Acai bowls for you and Hoseok in the fridge. I'm out picking up some groceries, so let's figure out what to do when I get back.

You crumpled up the note and handed it to Hoseok, "Throw this in the trash, would you?"

You opened the fridge to find the beautiful acai bowls and set them out on the counter alongside some spoons.

"I thought you said we would cuddle during breakfast," Hoseok pouted.

"Don't whine. I held you all night," you pointed your spoon at him accusingly in a playful manner.

"In all seriousness, thank you. Really, I needed you last night and you were there for me. I appreciate that more than you know," he said, his eyes softening at you. 

"Of course, Hoseok. I want to be there for you. I'm glad you came over instead of forcing yourself to go through all that alone."

His phone was ringing before he had a chance to respond. "It's Lea." He accepted the call quickly and put it on speaker so you both could hear the updates. 

"Hey Lea, you're on speaker."

"Hey, guys. Kaylen's surgery went well and his leg is completely intact. But, he has a lot of physical therapy ahead of him. He can come home in another couple of days, so you really don't need to bother with driving all the way back up here."

"Are you sure? We feel bad being so far away," you chimed in. 

"Yeah, really. Nothing else is going to happen. They just want to keep an eye on him for a bit longer and then they'll send him back to Poipu."

"Is that the truth, or are you guys keeping me away because Kai is still mad?" You had never seen Hoseok grow quite so defensive before. 

"Hoseok," Lea started. 

"What, are you mad at me now too? Do you blame me, too?"

"No, I don't blame you. This could've happened at Poipu beach just as easily as it happened on Kalalau. Kai is just projecting his hurt onto you because he doesn't know how to handle it. The thought that Kaylen got hurt on his watch bothers him, and you've known him so long that you should understand that."

"That doesn't mean it's okay for him to blame me for this."

"He'll get over it. The wound is just fresh right now, and he's still processing what happened. It's kind of traumatic for everyone; we didn't know if he was going to make it out of there."

"Whatever," Hoseok got up from the table then, walking outside and onto the Lanai. 

"He's really upset," you told Lea, "We all are."

"I know, and I'm sorry that Kai is acting this way, I really am."

"It's not your fault, Lea. I'm going to go console him, though. So, call us later if there's anything we need to know."

"Will do."

You hung up the phone, leaving it on the counter as you walked outside to where Hoseok was standing, his jaw clenched slightly. "This isn't fair."

"I know it's not," you hugged him from behind, your arms tightly around his middle. 

"It wasn't your fault."

"I know."

"Kai will come around eventually."

"I know."

"I'm sorry that this happening, Hoseok."

"I am, too."


	20. confessions

~HOSEOK'S POV~ 

Mia returned from the grocery store a mere twenty minutes later, finding you and Hoseok to be curled up next to each other on the couch when she walked through the door. 

"Hey, Mia," you called out to her. She sat a bunch of grocery bags down on the kitchen island before making her way into the connected living room. 

"Hey, guys," she said, plopping down in a chair adjacent to the couch Hoseok was sitting on with you. "Any updates?"

"He's doing fine. Gets to come home soon, so there's need for us to drive back to Princesville," you explained, and Hoseok remained silent. The words from his conversation with Lea were bouncing around in his mind, making his stomach hurt. 

He had found so much clarity after the night with you, but that one phone call made him begin doubting everything again. Was it really his fault? Or was Kai just overreacting and looking for someone to blame. Hoseok figured that the truth was probably somewhere in the middle. 

"Oh okay. So what are you guys up to for the rest of the day then?" Mia pulled out her phone, "I'll text Kai again. Maybe he'll reply this time." 

"I don't know. What are we doing today?" you turned to look at Hoseok. You squeezed his hand upon making eye contact. He assumed that you could see the blatant frustration and hurt in his eyes. He didn't want to sit around and wallow in his negative feelings all day. He didn't want to waste what little time he had left with you feeling guilty about a freak accident. 

"Do you wanna go somewhere with me?" he asked, already knowing you'd say yes. 

"Of course. Where do you wanna go?"

"Queen's bath. It's a good day trip. Pretty waterfall with minimal hiking," he suggested, again knowing you'd agree. He liked that about you; your willingness to not only try new things but to trust him as well. 

"Sounds good to me." 

"You guys have fun. I'm really behind on homework so I guess I'm stuck with the crazy sisters," Mia sighed. 

"You'll survive," you chuckled and Mia shrugged. 

"Maybe."

"Hey," Hoseok started, "I know I said this earlier, but really, try not to take Kai's silence personally or let that deter you away from him. Heck, I shouldn't even be defending him right now considering how he's treating me, but you should know that he cares about you."

"Thanks for saying that...I appreciate it," Mia smiled softly before standing up. "Seriously, you too have fun today. You deserve it," she said, leaving for her bedroom. 

"Change your clothes and I'll meet you in my car out front?" Hoseok asked you nodded. He got up, beginning to head toward the front door. 

"But, Hoseok," you began. He turned back around to face you. 

"That was kind of you to say what you did about Kai. I like that about you."

"Like what?"

"Your ability to be warm even when you don't feel like it," you said, before slipping away into your room. 

/////

The drive from Poipu to Queen's bath was a little over an hour. Talk was minimal during the car ride, but the silence was comfortable. Hoseok kept one hand on the wheel and the other holding yours for the entirety of the drive. He found your touch so incredibly comforting that he couldn't help himself. He appreciated that you were there for him at all. He felt an overwhelming emotion for you, one that he had never expressed to anyone in a significant other kind of way. 

So as you sat beside him in the car, mindlessly watching the trees pass by outside, Hoseok opened his mouth and said it. 

"Y/N, I love you."

"What?" you looked completely and utterly shell-shocked as you snapped your head away from the window and toward him.

"I said I love you," he repeated himself, finding your surprise endearing rather than fear-causing. 

"I-I mean I love you too, obviously, you just totally caught me off guard," you stuttered.

"'Obviously'?" He raised an eyebrow, a grin beginning to form on his face. 

"Yeah, I mean, I thought I was being really obvious that I've basically been in love with you this whole time," you giggled. 

He shook his head, "Okay, yeah, you've been pretty clear about your feelings. But, it's nice to hear you actually say it," he said, growing serious for another short moment. He pulled into the Queen's bath parking lot just in time. Turning off the ignition, he turned toward you. 

"I love you," he said again, his eyes not leaving yours. 

"I love you, too."

He kissed you then, for the first time in a little while. He had cuddled with you all night but never once touched his lips to yours. 

It was crazy to him that he had only known you for a couple of months. It was strange that he was already so comfortable with you, so in love with you. It was scary that you would be leaving soon, and that the future together was so uncertain. 

He broke the kiss then, a lump forming in his throat as the reality of your situation with him became overwhelmingly clear in his mind. 

"What's wrong?" you frowned. Your hands were still holding his. 

"I just," he pulled away from you, "I'm just scared, Y/N," he admitted. 

"What are you scared of, baby?" you frowned again, reaching out to touch your hand to his cheek. He settled against your touch, not pulling away this time. 

"Losing you," he said quietly. "Summer is not going to last forever and it's going by way to fast. I'm scared. I'm scared of everything that's going to change, and I'm scared that you're not going to be around anymore."

"Hoseok..."

"And I know this isn't fair of me to be upset about. It's not your fault that you can't stay."

"Hoseok,  I-"

"I'm the one that confessed my feelings first, both times, so I should be the one taking responsibility for this, but dammit, Y/N, I don't want you to go." 

He could tell he stunned you into silence then as you dropped your hands away from him, your eyes looking a bit wider than normal. 

You sighed, another frown forming on your face. He looked closer at you, and that's when he noticed the tears forming in your eyes. 

"Please don't cry," he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Get out of the car please so I can hug you," he opened his door, quickly going around to your side. 

You got out of the car too, your tears free flowing by then. He embraced you without hesitation, feeling sorry that he had upset you. 

"It's not your fault, Hoseok. I'm the one that said we should take a chance and not ignore our feelings," you hiccuped into his chest. 

"Why are you crying, baby?" he murmured into your ear, smoothing your hair in the soothing manner that you always seemed to like. 

"Because I don't want to go, either," you stuttered, holding him a little tighter. 

"You know what? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up yet," he pulled away gently, so he could see your face. He wiped away your tears with his fingers. "We still have a month. We'll figure it out, okay? The end of the summer doesn't have to mean the end of us. We're the ones that decide what our fate is gonna be," he reassured both you and himself at the same time. 

You nodded weakly, sniffling and trying to hold back more tears from falling. 

He kissed you for a second time, doing his best to put all of his fear and doubt in the back of his mind. He kissed you like he meant it, because he did. He kissed you like you were his treasure, because you were. 

When he pulled away, he reminded you again, "I love you."

And you said, "I know." 

"So let's just focus on us for now, yeah? The scary stuff can be dealt with later. For now, it's just me and you and amazing memories being made."

"Deal," you said, standing on your tip-toes to peck his lips one more time. 

"Hoseok?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm so glad I met you."

"Me, too, Y/N."

"And you know what else?" you asked.

"What?"

"I love you. And I'm never gonna get tired of saying it."

He smiled then, pulling you back into his warm embrace for just a few seconds more.


	21. reconciliation

~YOUR POV~

The rest of the day was spent at Queen's Bath, practically attached to Hoseok's side. He was giddy and excited to show you all of the scenery that he had visited many times before. 

Queen's Bath was a rocky area of Kauai that lead to tide pools and a small waterfall. It was nothing compared to the sights that you both saw on the Kalulau trail hike, but it was still pretty enough to make the drive over worthwhile. 

If you were being honest, though, you had a hard time just focusing on the scenery as Hoseok's words were stuck in your mind. It almost seemed surreal that he confessed that he loved you. And it almost seemed even more surreal that your future wasn't supposed to take place in Hawaii with these people that you'd come to know and love so much. Your wish of coming to Hawaii and leaving with tears in your eyes because you would miss everything was coming true. And it wasn't as romantic as you imagined it. 

The thought of leaving made your stomach turn, your throat close up, and your eyes fill up with hot tears. The thought of not being able to see Hoseok every day hurt, way more than you had anticipated that it would. 

But hey, you'd never been in love before you met him, so how could you possibly know how bad the flip side of it hurts? 

"I had a great time with you today," Hoseok said, standing with you on your doorstep. After spending the night with him once, it seemed almost silly to be saying goodbye just because it was nighttime. But, you still had some boundaries, and you weren't about to get attached to the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Hoseok. That would only make things more difficult when you inevitably had to leave. 

"Thanks for taking me out there. I feel like I've actually gotten to see a lot of the island these past several weeks," you said. The moon wasn't full, but it was bright and it shined on Hoseok's face. 

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he smiled, taking a step closer to you. "Goodnight, Y/N." He placed his hands on your cheeks, leaning in to give you a soft kiss on the mouth. He pulled away a bit too quickly for your liking, so you just pulled him right back. He laughed into the next kiss, before growing serious again and wrapping his arms around you. 

The kiss turned into a hug that lasted for a good moment, Hoseok's chin resting on top of your head. 

"I love you," he said, pulling away for real this time, "Sleep good, Y/N."

"I love you more, though," you grinned. 

"Don't start this with me because you'll lose," he joked, and you felt something strange in your chest. 

It was a twinge of pain, but almost in a good way. This must be what love really feels like, you thought. 

"Goodnight, Hoseok."

/////

Two days later, Kaylen was finally discharged from the hospital and allowed to come home. Lea called ahead of time and asked you and Mia and Hoseok to help throw together an impromptu welcome home party at Kai's house. 

You and Mia agreed of course, glad that the youngest member of the gang was finally up and back on his feet again- well, kind of. He would have to use crutches for a while until his wounds healed completely and he got all of the stitches out. 

Hoseok drove you and Mia to the local Walmart to grab a few supplies, wanting to save time by not going all the way to Lihue just for Safeway, the nicer store.

You picked up a cake, some party decorations, and a big piece of poster board for the three of you decorate with, "Welcome home, Kaylen!"

You all went over to Kai's house early using the key that Hoseok had and decorated everything before Kaylen, Felix, Lea, and Kai made it home. It was a surprisingly busy day, and a long one, especially considering that they didn't arrive home until about 6 pm. 

You were worried for Hoseok, wondering how Kai was going to behave. But, you were also excited to see Kaylen back in relatively good shape. 

"Welcome home!" you, Mia, and Hoseok threw confetti in the air as Kaylen crossed the threshold on his crutches. 

"Thanks, guys!" he smiled, and it seemed genuine. It was good to see him look happy. 

"Here, come sit," Hoseok said, gesturing for everyone to come into the living room.

"You guys really didn't have to do all of this," Kaylen said, sitting down. Hoseok took his crutches and set them out of the way. Kai, Felix, and Lea walked in then, and everyone took a seat in the living room. 

If you were being honest, you were surprised that Kai was allowing Hoseok to be in his house at all considering the way Kai had been blaming Hoseok for the accident. But, even though the tension was obvious, Kai kept his mouth shut. 

"Listen, Kaylen, I'm really sorry," Hoseok started, in front of everybody. 

"Why?" Kaylen seemed genuinely confused. 

"Because I'm the one that invited you into the water," Hoseok answered.

"So? It's not your fault there was a shark in the water," Kaylen shrugged and you couldn't help but be a bit smug. Even Kaylen wasn't upset at Hoseok, but yet Kai was dumping all this blame on him. It almost made you angry. You loved Hoseok and you knew his heart. He never would've wanted for anything bad to happen. 

"Well, I just thought-" Hoseok started but Kaylen cut him off.

"Don't. What happened happened. It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened. And I'm fine," he said matter-of-factly, and you were surprised at his maturity for a 14 year old. 

"I'm still sorry it happened," Hoseok said in a quiet voice. 

"Yeah, we all are. But so what? I'm alive and I still have my leg. Now, where's the cake?" he grinned, and everyone burst out into a fit of laughter. Everyone except for Kai, who excused himself during the chaos of everyone rushing to the kitchen for cake and ice cream. 

You watched as Mia followed him out the front door, wondering where they were going. 

"Y/N, would you mind getting Mia and asking where she put the plastic spoons? I don't want to have to be doing dishes all night," Hoseok asked. Mia had been the one to unload that particular grocery bag. 

"Sure, she just went outside," you nodded, turning and walking toward the front door. You opened the screen door and started to call out Mia's name when you saw her and Kai standing by the driveway. They hadn't noticed you there, and in the waning sunlight, it wasn't likely that they would be able to see you at all. They were talking loud of that you could hear, and you couldn't help but listen. 

"I'm really sorry, Mia," That was Kai. He was facing her, but you couldn't read their facial expressions. 

"It's okay. I know this has been really difficult to you," Mia replied, her voice kind as always. 

"I'm just so mad at myself."

"Why?"

"I've been such a jerk to Hoseok and we've really never been in a fight before. I don't know what to do, and I know I'm being unfair to him...And everyone, really." Kai explained, and you could've sworn you heard a few breaks in his voice.

"He'll forgive you. You know Hoseok; he's a kind soul. You just have to admit you were wrong," Mia's hand was on Kai's shoulder. 

"I know...I'm just emotionally overwhelmed, that's all. Kaylen is my responsibility and I feel like I failed him because this happened. I don't know what I would've done if he didn't make it." You were surprised how open and honest Kai was being toward Mia. In your time of knowing Kai, he'd always come off as very reserved and unwilling to discuss his feelings. He must really care for her and have interest in her to be this honest. 

"I know you love Kaylen, but you can't control his life forever. You can't control everything that happens. You just have to do your best, and that's really all that matters," Mia reassured him, and Kai nodded before stepping forward, pulling Mia into a hug. 

You were already intruding, but something about the intimacy of that moment made you feel the strong need to turn away. 

Maybe everything would be okay after all. Kai was coming around, Kaylen was healing, Mia was happy, and you had Hoseok.

The only problem you really had left was your imminent departure date. 

And that wasn't really something you could change.


	22. the beginning of the end

~HOSEOK'S POV~

Kai: Can I come over and talk to you?

Hoseok sat up in bed, surprised and concerned about the text he'd just received because he knew a conversation with Kai was likely going to turn negative really fast. It was late into the night after the party had ended and everyone had gone home.

Hoseok: Fine.

Kai: I'll be there in a few.

Hoseok rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, throwing a hoodie on and going out toward the living room so he could hear when Kai knocked. After receiving reassurance from Kaylen, Hoseok definitely no longer felt guilty about what had happened, he just felt angry at Kai for blaming him so quickly. After years of friendship, Hoseok deserved better than that.

A few smooth knocks arrived at the front door just a couple of minutes later as Kai lived right next door. Hoseok took a deep breath before opening the door, preparing himself to be lectured and yelled at by Kai. He was having second thoughts about letting him come over; why should Hoseok have to subject himself to that?

"Hey," Kai said quietly, "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Hoseok stepped away from the door and gave Kai space to walk inside. "Let's sit, I guess. Unless your visit is going to be short."

"I won't keep you long, but yeah, let's sit down," Kai said, his voice still quiet and a bit raspy sounding. Like he'd been crying or something.

Kai's demeanor wasn't super rigid or angry seeming, so Hoseok relaxed a little, feeling a little more confident that perhaps this conversation wouldn't turn into a fight.

"So, what's this about?" Hoseok asked as he sat down, Kai sitting down on the couch across from him.

"I'm sorry," Kai started slowly, "I'm really sorry."

Hoseok remained silent, waiting for Kai to continue and explain.

"I've been horrible to you, and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that at all," Kai said, looking down at the ground, "I was caught up in my emotions and I needed someone to blame so I just cast it all on you because I didn't want to have to blame myself. It was terrible of me, and I'm so sorry because you're my best friend and I never want to make you feel bad about yourself. Especially when you didn't do anything to deserve me being upset at you."

Kai's apology completely caught Hoseok off guard, but he could tell how sincere Kai was being. As angry as Hoseok had been, he wasn't one to hold grudges. He hated feeling mad at people, and he always wanted things to be resolved to the best they could. So, Kai's apology was enough for Hoseok to accept, and move on from the situation.

"I understand...I accept your apology," Hoseok said. He didn't say 'it's okay' because Kai did, but Hoseok did feel that he should forgive Kai. They were best friends after all, and he never wanted to lose that.

"Do you really?" Kai seemed unsure, "I'm really mad at myself for this."

"Don't be. You did the right thing by coming over and saying what you said. Let's just put it behind us and focus on helping Kaylen recover," Hoseok said, and Kai offered a small smile.

Kai nodded, standing from the couch. "Thank you for being such a great friend."

"You're welcome," Hoseok winked, and the two hugged each other. "Now can you tell me about you and Mia? Because I've been dying to know."

Kai chuckled, "You'll have to wait and see on that."

"I guess you and me are in the same boat now, huh?" Hoseok said.

"What do you mean?"

"Both of our girls are leaving, and we're about to both completely and utterly heartbroken," Hoseok said, partially joking and partially not.

"Yeah, I thought about that...It's probably better that I don't start anything with Mia. But, I really want to," Kai shrugged, "I don't know what the right thing to do is."

"I don't either. But, I'm kind of attached to Y/N, now, so it's too late for me. I have no idea what I'm going to do when she leaves."

"Would you move for her?" Kai asked, "I mean, I don't want you to go, but have you considered moving for her?"

"I have..." Hoseok trailed off for a moment. "It's difficult because I love her, but I love living here. It wouldn't feel right to move away. And she can't stay because of school. So, I don't really know how this is going to work out, and I'm running out of time to figure it out."

"All I'm saying is that you should consider all of your options. Long distance until she finishes school may not be so bad; a lot of people do that and go on to have super successful relationships. But don't think that you inevitably have to break up. That can be avoided if you two try hard enough," Kai pointed out and Hoseok nodded in agreement.

"We'll just have to wait and see how everything goes. For now, I'm just trying to take full advantage of the time I have left."

"I guess I will, too."

"We'll get through this," Hoseok said, more-so reassuring himself rather than Kai.

"Yes, we will."

THREE WEEKS LATER

"Lea and I are getting married," Felix said randomly, and Hoseok nearly choked on his water. They were sitting together on Hoseok's couch as Hoseok waited for you to show up. He was taking you out on a sushi date tonight.

"You're what?"

"We're getting married. I proposed last night," Felix explained, and even though Hoseok had been expecting a proposal for quite some time now, it still surprised him that it was actually happening.

"Why all the sudden? I mean, I'm totally happy for you guys, but how could you not tell me you were planning to propose?" Hoseok set his glass of water down on the coffee table.

"I honestly didn't plan for it to be last night. But the moment was so perfect and I always have the ring on me, so I just did it. And she said yes. And then we both cried," Felix chuckled, "So, will you be my best man?"

"Of course I will," Hoseok said, but then hesitated a moment, "But what about Kai? Haven't you known him longer than you've known me?"

"Yeah, I'm having three best men. You, Kaylen, and Kai. I didn't want to have to choose because I didn't think it would ever really be fair."

"Okay, good. I just didn't want there to be any hard feelings."

"Yeah, no worries."

"Congratulations, man," Hoseok grinned, giving Felix a modest bro-hug before hearing a knock at the door. "That's Y/N. I gotta go. Can I tell her the news?"

"Go for it," Felix said, "Have fun!"

Hoseok started to head for the door when Felix called out again, "But, Hoseok?"

"Yeah?"

"I know Y/N's leaving in three weeks, so we're going to have the wedding next Saturday. We want her to get to be there," Felix flashed a crooked smile, "So, maybe you guys should go dress and suit shopping!"

"You are just full of surprises today, aren't you?" Hoseok laughed and shook his head, "I'll see you later."

When he opened the door, he was greeted by your smiling face.

"Hey, babe," he said, closing the door behind him and greeting you with a kiss on the cheek. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, but can we walk? It's so nice outside, and I want an excuse to have more time with you," you admitted, and Hoseok couldn't help but smile. 

"Sure," he agreed, taking his hand in yours, "But we have a slight change of plans today."

"What do you mean?" you furrowed your eyebrows. 

"Lea and Felix are getting married. Next Saturday."

"THEY'RE WHAT?"

"They're literally getting married. Now, come on, we have a dress and a suit to buy."

/////

A/N: this story is rounding off and coming to a close...I'm honestly kind of sad to be letting it go, but it's about time. do you guys accept Kai's apology too? And what do you think about Lea and Felix? How should you and Hoseok make up for the future distance between you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments :D ~mattie


	23. can't take you with me

~YOUR POV~

"Are you nervous?" You asked you braided back part of Lea's hair. It was the big day, and you were helping Lea do her hair because you were the only one out of the girls that knew how to French braid.

"Surprisingly, no. I mean, I've known for such a long time that I've wanted Felix to be my husband, so I think I'm more excited than nervous."

"How are you so sure about him? Like, how are you so sure of yourself and your decisions for the future?" You continued braiding.

"I'm not. Not really, anyway. I just try and go with my gut feeling and not worry too much about the future since I can't control it anyway. But regarding Felix, I know this is what I want for sure. He's become such a rock in my life, and I can't imagine doing life without him. That's how I know this is the right decision. Because when he's not around, it hurts."

"I guess going with your gut is usually the best way to go," you said, thinking deeply about what Lea had just told you. The way she described feeling about Felix...Did you feel the same way about Hoseok? You were certain you did because the thought of soon not being able to see him every day sent you into panic mode. You adored him so much, and the thought of having so much distance between you made you hurt, just like Lea described.

"Are you worrying about your future with Hoseok?" she asked.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Kind of. But I also just know you both so well now. I figure your leaving is weighing on your mind pretty significantly, isn't it?"

"It really is. And I feel so bad because I'm the one that has to go."

"You know Hoseok won't blame you for that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I still just wish I was in a position where I could stay."

"Is there no way you could transfer schools and go here instead?" Lea asked as you finished off the braid.

"Honestly, no. I only have one more year of school left and I don't think picking up and moving is the smartest idea. I hate to admit that, but it's the truth."

"Long distance it is," Lea sighed, standing up from her chair.

"Don't be so sad. It's just a year, and then you guys can reevaluate and talk again about someone moving. It doesn't necessarily have to be you moving here, even though I would love it if you did," Lea pointed out, "Will you zip me up?"

You zipped up the back of Lea's wedding dress, gushing at how beautiful she looked.

"Are you ready?" you asked her as she took a deep breath, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

☼☼☼

Lea and Felix got married right on Kai's private beach that day. It was a small ceremony, made up of the six of you; Hoseok, Kai, Felix, You, Mia, and Lea. They hired a Hawaiian minister to do the ceremony, and since none of their family was around, there was no one in the audience. The boys were in matching suits and the girls in matching dresses, Lea's white gown simple but elegant in such a beautiful way.

The ceremony was very short, only consisting of Lea and Felix's personally written vows and the I-Do's. And since the wedding was planned so quickly, Lea and Felix decided to wait and take their honeymoon a couple of weeks later, after you were to leave Hawaii. So, it just turned into a party at the beach as the reception. 

"Things won't always be this easy, will they?" you asked him around sunset, the waves lapping up gently around both of your feet. The back of your dress was covered in sand, but the time sitting with Hoseok and favoring the water made that worthwhile. Kai and Mia and Felix and Lea were all off dancing a little way down the beach, and Felix was looking for shells to commemorate the special day. This is how you and Hoseok managed to sneak off for some alone time, near the spot where your first kiss together took place. 

"They won't," he confirmed what you were already thinking. Sighing, you hugged your knees and looked out at the water. 

"The ocean is so vast...I never realized," you mumbled. 

He chuckled, "You're so random. You getting tired over there?"

"No. It's just that that vast amount of ongoing water that keeps just...stretching forever...That's the space that's about to be between us. Don't you realize?"

He looked down, his demeanor quickly changing from cheerful to sad.

"I know..."

"I thought things were supposed to be easy when you're young. That's what adults have told me for my entire life," you complained, scooping up a handful of sand and tossing it into the water. 

Hoseok looked over at you, a sad smile on his face, "They lied. Love is hard when you're young."

"It's not even the love part that's difficult, it's the logistics, the distance...The adulting," you chuckled, scooting closer to Hoseok so he could put his arm around you. 

"We're going to make it," he said, "I have no doubt that me and you are going to get through this."

"You aren't going to break up with me?" you asked, partially kidding and partially not. 

"Of course not. I love you, Y/N. Some distance isn't going to change that." You leaned against him, and his head rested against yours. 

"I love you, too," you said for the what felt like the millionth time in the past few weeks. 

"Was Hawaii everything you hoped it would be?" he asked. 

"Everything and more," you said, meaning every word. "It's all because of you."

He pulled away then, kissing you gently as the sun disappeared behind the water. 

☼☼☼ 

The Lihue airport was just as hot and sticky feeling as you remembered it being. However, the airport was no longer filled with the hope of adventures to come, but of sadness at the adventures which had come to a close.

You were filled with dread as you made it closer and closer to the security line, knowing you were about to have to say goodbye to Hoseok for who knows how long. The thought made you hurt physically, but you could no longer push the fear and pain away as you'd been doing before.

Because the dreaded moment had finally arrived in reality; it was time to say goodbye.

"I really don't want to leave," your words almost came out as a whine which seemed to slightly amuse Hoseok's sad-looking face.

"I really don't want you to leave," his words were just as whiny as yours as he pulled you into his arms. It was hot outside and you were slightly sweaty and Hoseok was warm like always but yet you didn't feel uncomfortable. You felt no desire to pull away despite the heat.

"I don't want to make a scene by wailing and crying, but it's really what I feel like doing," you admitted into his chest. He tightened his arms around you, seemingly wanting to hold you closer but it was physically impossible.

"It's okay to cry. It's okay to make a scene if need be," he was comforting and reasonable and bright as always, which made it even more difficult for you to face the reality of your leaving.

You clung to as if he was about to disappear into thin air.

"It's not like you're never gonna see me again," he reminded you. 

"I know, but that doesn't make this any easier," you pulled away, wanting to look at his face, wanting to memorize every plane of his features. 

Hoseok checked his watch and grimaced, "You need to go, Y/N. This line is long and I don't want you to miss your flight."

"I wouldn't cry if I missed my flight," you said and you meant it. 

"Don't go being all irresponsible and purposely missing flights because of me," he teased you and managed to get somewhat of a smile out of you. 

"I love you, Hoseok. I really, really do," you said, your eyes not leaving his for even a single second. 

"And I love you," Hoseok said seriously, leaning and giving you one final kiss before it was really time for you to go. 

He let go of you reluctantly, taking a few steps backward. "Go," he said, "You're about to be late."

You gave him one last, long look, before turning around, and walking into the airport, into the shadows and away from your sun.


	24. epilogue: to build a home

The cold bit at Hoseok as he stood outside, waiting for his taxi to arrive. It was snowing, and he hadn't brought a coat thick enough to protect him from the flakes. He wasn't used to being in such a climate; Hawaii was 82 degrees Fahrenheit year round.

He was in your hometown on Christmas Eve, about to see you for the first time in 4 months. To say he was excited would've been a severe understatement. He had missed you more than he could describe with words, even though he spoke to you every day.

Hoseok's taxi arrived and let him know it was a twenty-minute drive to your house. Only twenty more minutes before that vast distance between the two of you would finally be closed, for 2 whole weeks. Then it was only 6 more months of being apart before you would be officially moving to Poipu, likely getting married to Hoseok soon after.

Over the past 4 months, you and Hoseok had talked a lot about the future, and marriage, and what that would look like for the two of you. You decided that after you graduated you were completely content with the idea of moving to Hawaii and marrying Hoseok. You were okay with leaving your family because you had another family waiting for you in the middle of the ocean.

The time spent apart was difficult for both of you but was completely manageable thanks to Skype. You two spent endless hours on video calls, sometimes not even talking but doing other things and just being in each other's non-physical presence.

Hoseok longed to hold you, to kiss you. It was difficult to not be able to see your smile in person, but he held on, because waiting for you was better than not having you at all.

So as the taxi cab pulled up to your house, Hoseok was full of positive energy and was eager to walk through the snowy front lawn to get to you.

He paid his fare and did just that, knocking on your door a few times and praying that you would be the one to come to the door.

You were.

"HOSEOK!" You exclaimed, practically throwing yourself into his arms with a huge smile on your face. "You're really here."

"I'm really here," he grinned so much his face was starting to hurt as he wrapped his arms around you.

"I finally feel at home," you said into his chest, "You are my home."

"And you are mine."


	25. Final Acknowledgements + More x Readers!

Well, everyone, this is it! That's the end! I hope you enjoyed this story and I hoped the outcome satisfied your hearts <3 I may come back with a few bonus chapters at a later point in time to wrap up some loose ends (specifically about the fate of Mia and Kai ;)). 

I really enjoyed writing this story and it brought me so much happiness whenever I was having a rough time. I hope this story could lift your spirits in the midst of the storms of life as well! Thank you to each and every one of you that ready this story, voted, and commented. It brings me so much joy that other people can enjoy my writing. So for real, THANK YOU! <3

Please feel free to leave me your thoughts or feedback on the story in the comments (but pls don't mean to me lololol)

If you're emo now and want something else to read, I do have several other x readers on my profile. 

Yoongi- "Bad For Me" Complete!

Namjoon- "I'm with You" Kind of on hold!

Seokjin- "Awake" Going to be my main focus now!

Jimin- "I'm not what you think" & "Dirty Laundry" ongoing!

Taehyung- "Life Itself" my secondary focus now!

Jungkook- "Searching For" haven't started it yet


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